Death By Your Love
by RedGobletOfRoses
Summary: We follow Tsuki's journey to find her faced with a whole new set of challenges and heart breaks. Her story begins to unfold as she endures the dangers of belonging to a village, as an outcast. Orochimaru searches on for her, and the Akatsuki's plans become more apparent. With Sasuke as a new threat, she walks on eggshells through these troubled times. M for Content and Language
1. Stage 1

Author's Note: _Hello and Shalom, my good friends. To my readers of Love Me or Die, welcome back. To those who are new to this saga, welcome forward. In case that last sentence has you baffled, this is a sequel to another story of mine, previously mentioned. However, it is only minorly necessary that you have read the first one in order to understand what is going on here. There are some parts that will seem confusing as we go along, but I'll do my best to explain in without breaking too many fourth walls, all while keeping the storyline as little redundant as possible. I cannot stand those sequels that try to recap the entire story of the book before it before continuing with the story you're dying to read in the first place… Here we will pick up right where we left off, whether you're familiar with where that is or not. It simply is irrelevant. I present to you, for splendid entertainment, Death By Your Love._

Stage One: Negotiations

Tsuki walked through the market of Sunagakure without purpose. Vendors called their wares to her; shoppers bustled around her unmoving figure. She dismissed them without much notice; she was busy staring up at the large, gourd like building. She still had hours to burn.

XxX

Neji ran his fingers through his hair and sighed as he turned his gaze to the streets within sight of the window. Gaara looked up at him from across the long, oval table, where Neji's pale eyes reflected in the dark wood, full of concentration and thought. Neji barely caught a glimpse of crimson hair.

Gaara cleared his throat. "Should we take a break, Hyuuga-san?"

The rasp of Gaara's voice brought Neji back to Earth, though his pale eyes did not break away from their target. "Perhaps that would be wise, Kazekage-sama." He felt distracted, and his mind had gone numb from inactivity and boredom.

Gaara followed Neji's gaze through the plate glass and beyond the shops below. Neji observed the look of distain on Gaara's face through his reflection in the glass. "I believe you're right," he sighed.

Neji rose to his feet silently, straightening his stack of papers into their file before he left. "I think twenty minutes ought to be enough, Kazekage-sama."

"That sounds fine," Gaara mumbled. He rose from his desk and followed his cohort out the door, feeling a twinge of regret as he watched Neji's retreating back.

Neji attempted to ignore Gaara's obvious staring as he watched Gaara get smaller through his Byakugan. He took the stairs one at a time as he passed through the corridors and into the baking sun. Just as she hadn't in the last ten minutes, Tsuki hadn't moved from her spot in the sun. He didn't understand how she didn't fry in this heat. Surely she couldn't still be used to it?

Tsuki heard Neji before she saw him, and upon shifting her gaze, she knew without asking how his meeting was going. "Is it that bad?" she asked with caution.

"I've never endured anything more awkward," Neji stated in a flat tone, as though he was commenting on nothing more interesting than the weather. "Thank you for warning me."

Tsuki shrugged her shoulders. "If it helps at all, I'm not looking forward to my meeting, either."

Neji looked down at his feet. "I don't understand it; if we're on good terms with these people, if they're our allies, then why do we receive so much hostility?"

She folded her arms across her chest with sour frustrations. ""There are still raw emotions among us." She looked up at the Kazekage's office.

"From what little of your encounters with Gaara you informed me about," Neji began, "I can understand the tension between the two of you; what does your past have to do with me?" He followed her gaze to the top windows, where the Kazekage stared at the pair of them openly. He didn't even shy away when Neji made eye contact; he blinked once, but that was it.

"Gaara doesn't even know," she answered truthfully. "I think he's mostly stuck wondering who you are."

Neji shifted his gaze away from the Kazekage's stare. "I'm Neji Hyuuga," he answered flatly.

She rolled her eyes as she continued to stare up at Gaara. "You're missing the point, Hyuuga-san."

"It's getting unprofessional," he whined, looking her in the face.

She finally looked back at him. "I understand that, but Konoha needs for us to get through this mission with the treaty still intact."

Neji sighed as he looked into her violet eyes, nearly a full head's height below his own. "I think it would help us both if you saw him, and soon."

Her shoulders dropped in submission as she sighed. "I suppose you're right; the least I can do for our village is try." She looked up into his eyes. "You should go, he's waiting for you."

Neji glanced back up at the window of the conference room. From the corner of his vision, he could see Tsuki wave up to Gaara. He returned the gesture with a smile. "He still adores you," he concluded. "It makes things difficult for me." He took the first step toward the office, unwillingly leaving her behind in the market.

XxX

Tsuki walked into the Kazekage's office while he and Neji were in another recess, but Gaara wasn't there. She knew she ought to turn around and leave, but she couldn't get her feet to cooperate. She had twenty minutes before her own appointment, and Gaara started again in a half an hour. Neji would return shortly before they started, so she was granted at least ten minutes before she had to leave. Surely she could find the use of her feet again before then, right?

"I was starting to think you were avoiding me," Gaara's voice behind her stated softly. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to know this is not true."

"Our schedules haven't been forgiving, I'm afraid. Even so, I'm supposed to meet with Temari soon." She smiled politely. "It has been a while."

"Two years," he answered with grief in his sea foam eyes. "I would hope things are much less chaotic for you."

"Very much so, yes," she answered, "Though Tsunade-sama still doesn't trust me."

He walked over to his desk and sat down, his back to the window. "She sent you to handle our negotiations, didn't she?"

Tsuki sat unceremoniously on the corner of his desk, twisting her body to face him. "She only sent _us _because you had specifically requested me being here."

"I don't remember requesting Hyuuga. Is his attendance necessary?" He leaned forward, resting his chin on his intertwined fingers.

Tsuki sighed heavily. "I told you, the Hokage doesn't trust me alone. He's here to make sure I don't go AWOL."

Gaara regarded her through cynical eyes. "It seems he's doing his job well; he got you here in one piece. How long has he been assigned to you?" There was a razor's edge in his voice as he made unvoiced accusations.

"Ever since I gave my loyalty to Konohagakure," she answered tentatively. "He's the reason I had the option to return there at all."

Gaara regarded this in silence for an extended moment, chewing over the thoughts and questions in his head.

"Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement, Gaara. Our villages are relying on us." She looked deep within his thought filled eyes.

"It isn't my emotions I'm worried about," he admitted, "It's his." He stared back, seeming to look deep within her soul.

She removed herself from his desk slowly. "He doesn't have emotions, Kage-sama." She walked slowly toward the door, the accusation weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Tsuki," Gaara softly called to her, with pain laced through his cracking voice.

"I need to go; I'm going to be late. I can't afford to give your sister another reason to attack me. She hates me enough, as it is."

He regarded her explanation just long enough for her to get to the door. "My door is always open to you, Tsuki, here or at home. You are not a stranger. Please, don't feel the need to behave as such."

She hesitated for a moment longer. "I'll try to make it over later," she stated.

"Don't bother to bring your guard dog," he nearly hissed.

"I'll see what I can do," she answered.

He watched her shut the door as she walked out. Before the door had a chance to latch shut, his mind was already buzzing with the turn of their conversation in comparison to their previous interactions. Something was weighing her down; something she wasn't telling him. He despised feeling like she was hiding something. It sparked that deep, dominating curiosity he held for her that lay dormant within his soul.

XxX

Temari looked up as Tsuki walked though the door. She was barely on time, making the blonde grind her teeth in frustration at being kept waiting for this scantily clad, and infuriating loose skirt of a woman. "I wasn't sure you'd make it," she stated. She was barely able to conceal her disappointment at the red head's arrival.

Tsuki met her challenging gaze with an arched eyebrow and a smirk in tow. "Orders are orders, I'm afraid," she sighed sarcastically.

"How shameful that you need orders to visit someone you seem so familiar with," Temari remarked haughtily.

With an embellished wave of her hand in the air, Tsuki replied vaguely, "I wasn't ordered to see him at all; I still found time to do so."

Temari sat a little straighter in her chair. "You've waited a long time to do so; the two weeks you spend here are over. You depart tomorrow!"

Tsuki arched an eyebrow again. "Do explain why it is that you assume that I've just seen him today? After all, you're quite sure in our 'familiarity' with each other. Surely it must be possible then, under the parameters of your own thinking that we have seen each other prior to today, without your knowledge?" There was a razor's edge in Tsuki's voice, as the final chess piece fell into place. Her message to the abrasive blonde was clear: what she and Gaara chose to do, or not to do, is on _their _agenda, not hers.

Temari just gasped for air, as well as a rebuttal to Tsuki's confrontation. When too much time had passed for one to fall smoothly into play, she dropped her head and stared at the list of negotiations before her. She watched as Tsuki brought her own sheets out onto the table, and spread them methodically before her. Temari gritted her teeth, despising the fact that this konoichi from Konohagakure was more organized than she was; it looked disgraceful.

Tsuki, however, kept her mind clear of distractions. Years of banter with Kabuto behind Orochimaru's back had finally paid off in her travels away from Otogakure, and the various other hideouts he forced her to accompany him to. Temari was just another annoyance she would have to endure in good grace in order to achieve a common goal for both of their villages.

The meeting dragged on for hours, and neither of them requested a recess, not even for a quick trip to the powder room, though both women had depleted the water supply of the small conference room significantly in the dry, Suna heat. They debated every subject ruthlessly, their mood turning sourer the longer they sat on their full bladders. They both held their ground grudgingly, only giving tiny baby steps and expecting a landslide in return as they attempted to achieve the best deal to suit their nation's needs and desires.

Temari massaged the deepening crease on her forehead and asked with bitter exasperation, "What is next on the agenda?"

Tsuki didn't even consult her lists laid out before her before responding. "Now we must discuss medicinal herbs." She watched as the familiar desire to bang one's head repeatedly on the table flashed in the eyes of her opponent. It was common knowledge across the great nations that Tsuki was a prodigal medical konoichi, having studied under Orochimaru for so many years, and through a vital stage in her shinobi education; it was a fact that caused much distrust in her, even within the village that she proclaimed her fealty toward. Once her story became known to the Hokage, and her council, the rumours spread like wild fire that she was just as sick and twisted as the serpent himself.

Temari was the first to break their prolonged silence. "We need a fairly constant supply of the reishi mushroom," she stated flatly. The most she could do to mask her distain was to sound bored. "It is difficult to grow them in a greenhouse, as our climate is too hot and dry for their cultivation."

"That is understandable," stated the red head, having studied the growth of the fungus personally. They prefer a temperate and humid environment with fairly constant temperatures year round. "We can arrange a direct trade for desert amica."

Temari lightened to know that the reishi wouldn't touch their budget. That would save a half hour's worth of financial negotiations. The downfall of their last Hokage, and the attack from the Akatsuki left their budget tighter than she would have liked going into this, even two years later. It was much harder for desert dwelling people to get back on their feet after hard times than most others. "We would be willing to trade on pound of amica for every two pounds of reishi." She still fought for her nation's best interest.

Tsuki sighed. "We were thinking more of a three to five ratio, reishi to amica. Reishi mushrooms fetch more than double the price, and this would be a bargain to both nations." It was her attempt to be fair to Temari, and the desert dwellers. One thing she could not do as a medic: deprive or cheat people out of the vital herbs for their medicines.

Temari would not budge, even though she was shocked at the honesty her opponent showed. "Two to one," she repeated.

Tsuki then stepped up, "We could retract our previous offer and replace it with a one-to-two ratio instead."

It took nearly ten minutes for Tsuki to get Temari to agree to her original offer, and in return, Tsuki purposefully caved into her demands for gingko. She barely scraped a deal on Temari's kokoga cactus and armonium calcite. It took another two hours for them to creep through the list of herbs, minerals, crops and weapons, tactical needs in the event of emergencies, procedures to follow, tactical training to allow them to fight side by side seamlessly, and requirements for the ever important chunin exams, which were to be held in Suna this year. Having succeeded at reaching the bottom of their list, they both agreed to depart for the night and have an early dinner.

Tsuki, being too devoted to routine to eat just yet, patiently walked the corridors until she found herself outside the conference room where Neji and Gaara debated through the last dregs of their half of the negotiations, which were more political on the scale of necessity. By the muted sounds she could pick up through the door, they were just about done.

In five minutes' silence she sat alone in a moderately comfortable chair swathed in a terracotta coloured canvas, staring at the floor with her head in her hands. A headache beat at her temples, each pulse a barrage against her brain. It wasn't surprising that Neji slipped into her presence without her notice.

"Tsuki," his soft voice called. "Are you ready for dinner? I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

She glanced up at the clock on the wall. He was ten minutes early. "Temari and I finished before we usually do. I thought I'd wait for you, instead of continuing onward."

He offered her his hand to help her from her chair, which she ignored in getting up anyway. "I wouldn't have minded if you chose to eat without me," he stated.

She knew better than to believe that, but didn't say a word. She looked over his shoulder at Gaara, who stood in the doorway, watching the entire exchange. There was satisfaction in his eyes, and she wasn't able to say with certainty that it was just over the negotiations, or her refusal of Neji's hand.

Neji's cool façade was uncompromised, however, as he had not intended the gesture to be anything more than respectful. They walked through the streets as twilight fell upon the city, searching for something recognizable in the foreign cuisine. It wasn't until they had sat down in some small corner, hole in the wall shop and received their food that he broke the silence. "How was your last conference with Temari-san?"

"Tediously stressful," Tsuki answered, painfully aware of the tension headache that was throbbing through her skull. "She kept taking everything personally." She poked at her sashimi absently. "I don't suppose you had any more luck with tactical warfare?"

Neji sighed, and leaned back in his seat to stare at the ceiling. "It went better than it had been earlier. He seemed more at ease with me. However, I can sometimes hear him muttering under his breath, though the words are too muddled to be intelligible."

Tsuki recalled Gaara's comment about Neji being a guard dog, and rolled her eyes. "I took your advice and went to see him before my meeting. I was lucky that you two had called an intermission at the time. Our schedules haven't been permitting on much social time."

Neji stared blankly at his yakisoba. "I'm sure that was intentional, to keep our minds focused on the task at hand."

Tsuki translated that to mean, 'to keep you from going AWOL again.' She stabbed her tuna roll violently.

Neji took the plate from her before she resorted to throwing things at the wait staff. "Not much would get done if our minds wandered too far."

"Not much is getting done now," she hissed through her teeth. "It shouldn't take two weeks to do five days worth of diplomacy."

"It is ridiculous," he agreed softly, staring at the uneaten portion of his noodles.

"I swear it's their revenge for me turning my back on this village," she stated bitterly. "She thinks I've dishonoured the Kazekage."

Neji had heard this rant several times before in the last two weeks alone. "You belong to the village of the Leaf," he reminded her. "You have done nothing to turn your back on a village you don't belong to."

She looked at him with exasperated eyes. He had a point, but she wouldn't see it his way. "I've told you before; I was born here."

"And I'm a cancer," he stated blandly. "I don't see what either points have to do with anything. Your actions are justified. I know that. Their kage knows that. Nothing else matters as seen through the eyes of anyone else." His hand brushed hers momentarily as he drizzled a little bit of soy sauce over the remnants of the noodles she knew he wouldn't eat. His eyes narrowed minutely when she withdrew her hand from the table, the gesture nearly unnoticeable. His face darkened as he looked away.

Neji weighed on her mind as she prepared herself for their last night in Suna. The subtle advances started about a year ago; and even so, they were few and far between. She had suspicions when she watched him risk his life, his village, and his kage for her that this would be a possibility, though the rarity of the events and the way he coolly brushes them aside without second thought makes her second guess her intuition.

She was still convinced that love was, and forever would be, out of her reach. She still looked over her shoulder expecting Orochimaru or some member of the Akatsuki stalking in the shadows. She couldn't risk someone else getting hurt for her. As it was, he was already in the red zone. Orochimaru wouldn't be forgiving to the one who helped her escape, and the Akatsuki were ruthless in their methods. What was another body to deal with? She couldn't make it worse for him.

If she was correct, he was definitely a patient man. In the three years she'd known him, she's seen women, mostly Tenten, come and go without satisfaction. If she was right, he was loyal and determined; a deadly combination.

Tsuki couldn't contain her relief as she sank into the sheets of her bed. A soft sigh escaped as a shirtless Neji emerged from the bathroom, still brushing his teeth as he shuffled through his backpack for some unknown object. Due to their devotion to being a functioning unit at all times, they shared a hotel room on every mission they were assigned. For Tsuki, it was easier to prepare for the worst if you only had one space to worry about and no walls to separate you from the only lifeline you had. Having grown up in a compound of mostly men, none of whom cared for her privacy much, it wasn't an issue. They had their routine: she took care of her hygiene in the mornings, and he had the evenings. He couldn't stand going to bed still donning the dirt of the day's work, and she couldn't stand sleeping on a wet pillow. It worked for them.

Eventually, Neji emerged from the bathroom once more with his hair pulled back loosely and his mouth considerably less foamy. "You look like you've had a long day," he observed, settling into his own sheets across the room.

"It was probably just as long as your day was," she answered with a yawn. Her insomnia receded dramatically in the last two years, especially when she was on a mission with Neji. She was now capable of dropping her guard long enough to enjoy a few hours of restful sleep knowing he wouldn't let her come to harm while she was vulnerable. When they were home, she was lucky to sleep every other day, for three or four hours before she would wake with a jolt. Sometimes, she could only sleep once every ten days.

"Maybe as the years progress, these negotiations will get less tedious," he predicted. He set his protector plate on the shared nightstand, the metal clanking against the wood. She watched as his fingertips lingered over hers, only for a moment. The movement didn't bother her. The purple silk was the very same as the silk of her sound plate, which he had held for nearly a year against her will.

She turned onto her right side and extinguished the lamp. In the darkness, she could still see every detail of his face perfectly. She used his inferior eyesight to her advantage to examine the faint green markings on his forehead; his Byakugan couldn't see if her eyes were open or not.

He was ashamed of his secondary status within his clan. She preferred him to be that way. She found the strange markings beautiful, though just looking at them made her feel his sorrow. She looked away from him. The customs of the Hyuuga clan intrigued her, not having been fully raised in the customs of her own. She did not understand how anyone could blemish the skin of a child with the markings of failure, insignificance, and inferiority. She had seen him at his best, and his worst, and knew he was better than most of the main branch Hyuugas by far.

This was why she refused to meet any other member of his family. She could not trust herself to stay quiet and respectful toward them. She was, in a sense, far too loyal to Neji to stand up for that injustice. Yet, it was that same loyalty to him that kept her as far away from disgracing him in the eyes of his family as she could be. She had met Hiashi and Hinata. What more could there be to see? That covered the spectrum, both main branch, and both were polar opposites.

Neji rolled over to his side, facing her, sure that she had fallen asleep by the evenness of her breathing, unaware that he was lulled into a false sense of security by her deep thought. He watched her still form in the darkness, the rise and fall of each breath, the way the moonlight shimmered in her hair. She didn't dare to move away, for fear of breaking his peace.

He didn't have a clue that their thoughts mirrored each other. He knew that his family was big and broken; beyond repair. He never once mentioned those darkest of thoughts to her, an orphan with no family to visit except one sister she didn't care for much, though he knew she already guessed at them. She could read him, no matter how blank his face was, and on one level it infuriated him. On the other, he was comforted by the familiarity. She never pressed matters he didn't want to talk about, nor did she force her company upon him. When he wanted silence, she'd refrain from speaking. She was easy to be with, on or off the job.

His mind shifted to what little he knew of her family: her parents were dead, and her sister was a stranger to her. He knew her father was an ambassador to Iwagakure. Her mother stayed home with her and her sister. Her sister was two years older than she was, though from what Neji has heard, Yahara didn't have half of Tsuki's talent. He wondered how that could be, when their genetics came from the same pools? There wasn't that great a difference between Hanabi and Hinata. Again, he didn't dare speak those accusations to her. The one thing he didn't know, however, was why her parents were killed and her and her sister were spared? It couldn't have been that hard to kill two small children.

Neji heard her shuffle underneath her blankets, shifting to a more comfortable position. "Sleep well," he whispered softly to her.

"I always do," she answered back. "Sweet sleep, Hyuuga-san."


	2. Stage 2

Stage 2: Homecoming

Tsunade looked up from the signed reports and agreements. "It would seem that all went well."

"Yes, Lady Hokage," Neji answered. "We can look forward to another two years of peace and prosperity with Suna."

She looked at Tsuki wearily. "How did your delegations go?"

Tsuki sighed softly to herself. "They went as well as they could be expected, milady. Negotiations were debated with the best interests of both villages in mind."

"How is the Kazekage? She asked with interest in what Tsuki had to say.

"As well as always," was Tsuki's answer. "His rule is strong."

Neji huffed under his breath. Tsunade regarded this for a brief moment before moving forward. She quickly debriefed them, accepting their travel documents and adding her seal to them; another success.

They walked out together, through the dim corridors around the circular building. It was clear that Tsunade still mistrusted Tsuki. Perhaps she thought Tsuki was a sleeper agent; it wasn't uncommon for them to stay dormant for longer. In the eyes of Tsunade, her only redemption had been the surplus of information she had provided on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki.

Tsunade knew Tsuki was hiding things from her, and partially wondered if Neji even knew the truth. Tsuki would not give information on the Kazekage's assailant, nor would she speak against Sasuke's brother, Itachi Uchiha. Nothing she could do would force their whereabouts from Tsuki; they had done something to earn her loyalty. For that reason alone, Tsuki could not be trusted.

Tsunade had also watched the young Hyuuga's guard drop dangerously low around this foreign threat, while Tsuki remains emotionless. It worried Tsunade to see the way Neji was always watching Tsuki from the corner of his eye; yet there was no one better than he to keep her in check.

XxX

"Neji, you're back!"

Tsuki moved aside just in time to see Neji assaulted by Tenten's embrace. She could not keep her eyes from rolling. She looked around, knowing that Tenten would not be alone in greeting them, as this was the scheduled time for them to return. She was not disappointed.

"Tsuki-chan, welcome back," Lee greeted her warmly.

Guy lightly clasped her shoulder as Neji detangled himself from Tenten's choking hold. "Another success for my team," Guy boasted with pride, a tear glistening in his eye.

Tsuki was now thoroughly burning with discomfort.

"Sensei, Tsuki isn't a part of our team," Tenten protested venomously.

"Sure she is, Tenten, just look at her! She's shining with hard work, determination and youthful beauty abounds; how can she not be a part of my team?" He hooked an arm around Tsuki's shoulders. "You were meant to be on my squad."

She skilfully shrugged him off without damaging his ego. "I'm flattered, Guy-senpai, but I don't do so well on teams." Guy's only response was to laugh boisterously. It annoyed her to no end.

"Come on, Tsuki-chan," Lee beamed, "You've been taking care of Neji for years now. You're practically one of us!"

Tenten folded her arms, a sign of her sulking, wounded pride. "Madness," she muttered under her breath.

Neji, who had watched silently with a smirk on his face arranged with smug arrogance, finally felt it was time to rescue his drowning comrade. "Really, guys," he started half heartedly, "We just got back. Harass Tsuki later. We need a little time to relax before dealing with nuisances." His eyes had shifted to Lee and Tenten before he turned to leave, allowing Tsuki to follow without hurting any of his team members.

With his back turned, he just barely heard Guy blubber, "I-, I don't understand."

"She will be one of us," Lee reassured him strongly.

Tenten protested loudly, making an effort to ensure that her voice carried. "She didn't train with us, Lee. Besides, she's one of Orochimaru's konoichi. She can't be trusted."

Neji had taken a step ahead of Tsuki before he realized that she had stalled. He turned to look back at her, but her face was buried in shadows. He rejoined her, meaning to ask what was wrong, but she put a hand up to silence him. He stood by her side faithfully, not willing to face eavesdropping alone.

It was then that he heard the approach of another set of footsteps.

"What do you think, Kakashi?" Guy called to his rival.

Neji heard him close his book. "What do I think about what?" he asked smoothly. Neji knew this wouldn't go well.

"What do you think about the shining star, Tsuki over there?" Guy answered. So he had noticed that she stalled.

"Come on, Lee," Tenten sighed. Lee protested loudly as Tenten pulled him forcibly away from the scene that was about to unfold. It was a shame that there wasn't going to be much of a scene.

Kakashi sighed. "She seems stable; I haven't heard much against her. She's a little different from what we're used to, but all the same, she's worth keeping an eye on for the time being."

Neji translated that to mean, 'She hasn't done anything yet, but as soon as she does, she's done for.'

There was the rustle of fabric and the soft clang of steel before guy spoke again; it sounded like he had scratched his abdomen. "Do you think she's a good addition to Team Guy?"

Kakashi's answer was quite frank, "No."

Neji could almost picture what it looked like when Guy's face fell in disappointment. "Why not?" he whined.

There was boredom in Kakashi's voice. "No one would do well alongside you." His footsteps picked up again as he continued walking, and when he passed, his nose was completely lost inside his book. Neji couldn't be sure if Kakashi was avoiding eye contact with him, but he wouldn't doubt it.

His gaze looked back towards his comrade, but she showed no emotion in response to what she had just heard. She knew just as well as he did that Kakashi was weary of her presence in the village. Kakashi was less informed as Tsunade, and still his mistrust of her was just as high. He didn't know that she was raised by Orochimaru. He didn't know that she had been sent to scout out Konoha, so her sensei could kill the third Hokage. He only knew that she came from Otogakure. It was because she was different that he didn't trust her; because she was foreign.

Tsuki pulled on Neji's hand. "Let's go to the hot spring; we're supposed to be relaxing."

Neji looked down at her hand, tugging lightly on his. She couldn't read his thoughts, but they were probably ones she wouldn't approve of. It startled her when he dropped her hand to walk beside her. "You're right, let's go."

XxX

Tsuki secured her towel around her torso and stepped onto the rocky precipice. Steam rose from the water to greet her warmly, and the warm liquid was hot enough to pinken her flesh upon contact. She immediately felt her muscles begin to relax as she sunk deeper and deeper into the spring. She sat down next to the planked fence that divided the genders; a nuisance in itself to her. Soon, Neji would settle down next to her, pinpointing her with his Byakugan. She wished she could just sit next to him and talk to him face to face. She despised the gender segregation. There should at least be a mixed bath available.

"I'm sorry about Guy-sensei," Neji appealed, shortly after she heard the water ripple.

"You shouldn't be sorry for him, Neji. It wasn't your offence to begin with. He's nice enough, and he means well. He just doesn't understand that I will never be fully accepted by the community." She made patterns in the water with her finger.

"He can be a little overbearing," Neji sighed. She heard him move in the water, and felt a vibration through the fence as he leaned against it. "You didn't have years to train under him, so you wouldn't understand all of the underlying meanings of his actions. He really does worry about you, though he worries for your wellbeing, not your actions as everyone else does."

She slid down until the water was almost to her chin. She felt a little guilty. "That's reassuring; not everyone hates me for existing."

"You don't like most of them, either," he pointed out softly. "Didn't you once explain to me that it works out the best, if people keep their distance from you? You're different from anything these people have experienced before. You react differently, you carry yourself differently. Naturally there is going to be some resistance until they get used to you not being a threat. They're still cautious from what happened those years ago."

She knew he was talking about the third Hokage's death. There was darkness in his voice that told her all she needed to know.

"I'm sorry, Neji. I never wanted him to die," she assured him.

"I'm fully aware of that," he answered bitterly, but softly.

She slid her hand through the parting in the fence she had made a year ago when she passed a birthday present through the slot between two boards. Knowing he was still watching her every movement, and resenting her lack of visual contact with him, she wasn't startled when his hand found hers once more. "No one who knows the truth holds you responsible, Neji, and no one else would if they had a clue."

"You might not," he answered, "But I do. You have an excuse, Tsuki. You were acting under orders, and you weren't even involved in the actual act. He would have found a way with or without you. I could have warned him, and this whole thing could have been avoided."

She squeezed his hand softly. "I'm the one resented for it," she stated softly, "You need to forgive yourself."

His hand released hers. "I know," he stated, ashamed.

She sighed again. "Don't beat yourself up for it, Hyuuga-san." She removed herself from the hot spring and retreated to the dressing room.

XxX

Two hours later came the familiar knock on her door. She rose from her couch to allow Neji into her apartment; the very same one she had occupied when she was sent to scout for Orochimaru. It was already in her name, so why change it?

She looked at Neji incredulously as he removed his shoes and deposited them next to hers. "Did you boil yourself alive in the spring, Neji?" she accused.

"No," he answered. "I went for a walk." he passed by her into the familiar space and settled on her sofa.

She wrinkled her nose as he passed. "Trained your ass off, more like."

He stared at her in disbelief. "I showered again before I came over here."

She smirked at him playfully. "I know; I can only smell your soap." She collapsed next to him, kicking her feet up on the coffee table.

"You disappeared from the spring; did anything happen in my absence?" he inquired.

"Nothing other than nothing," she answered. "Are you feeling any better?"

He sighed. "Mildly," he replied. He lay down on her couch, his head inches away from her right thigh. "Can you at least understand why I feel this way?"

"I understand everything, Neji," she assured him. She ran her fingers though his long hair gently, the way her mother used to when she wasn't feeling well. "Your reactions are perfectly justified."

He didn't shy away from her touches, but closed his eyes and enjoyed the silence. She could almost hear his thoughts whirring away behind his eyelids. She knew better than to interrupt his thinking; she took her bag from beside her end table to her room to unpack. He would find her when he was ready.

The only thing she carried with her on her two week journeys to Suna was extra clothing and a small arsenal of weapons, plus food rations for the trip there. Everything else she needed was provided for her by Gaara and the embassy. Every time she returned, Gaara would send her with some sort of trinket or gift that was small and pretty, albeit superficial. That was the first thing she put in its place, next to the one from her previous visit, when she stayed behind to help though Deidara's attack. This had been their first official mission as Sunagakure ambassadors.

She had finished putting her knives away when Neji meandered into her bedroom. He sat on her bed, two steaming cups of tea in his hands. She hadn't even noticed the kettle whistle.

"Thank you," she smiled when he handed her the mug of steaming, lightly sweetened liquid. He only smiled in response as he sat on her bed. He set his cup down on the night stand.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked out of habit, as she always did when he'd situate himself there.

"Quite," he would always reply. This time he added, "You have a very soft bed."

"You're welcome to it," she teased, "Just not while I'm in it."

He smirked at her. "I'll keep that in mind." He fell backwards onto her pillows and closed his eyes, sighing. "It smells like your hair."

She threw a sock, which landed on his forehead. "You're so weird, Neji."

He arched an eyebrow as he took the sock and threw it into her laundry basket in her open closet. "So, let me get this straight; you can smell me when ever you very well please, but I can't sniff your pillows?"

"Not without buying me dinner first," she hissed at him. She dumped out the remnants of her back into the laundry basket and slid her closet doors shut.

"Are you hungry" he asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Not hungry enough to actually eat anything," she answered in a sigh.

Neji propped himself up on his elbow, rolling to his side to get a better look at her. "That sounds about right," he agreed. "Do you want help with anything?"

She looked around her tidy room. "No, I'm finished for the night. All I have to do is clean the clothes, and that can wait until tomorrow."

He looked at her from under his eyelashes. "Is there anything else you would like to do?"

She sat on the bed, where his between his knees and his naval. "Rest up for a bit," she answered. "I'm exhausted. It's been a long two weeks."

He sighed in his assent. "We get eight days there, and we can never find time to actually enjoy Suna," he complained.

She leaned against him lightly. "There isn't much to enjoy. There's sand everywhere. There's the market, but we seem to spend time there just fine. If we left the city, which is forbidden on both Gaara's and Tsunade's count, you'd be able to find an oasis, but that can take hours. There's the oasis in the city, but there's always people there, and that takes the point out of getting away from it all."

Neji's eyes narrowed. She could sense his reaction to her bitterness was less than empathetic. "Suna will always be a danger to you, won't it?" he asked.

"Every time I've been ambushed, it's been there. I can't afford to let my guard down, not even for a moment."

He sat up, doing his best not to shift her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'll see anything long before it has a chance to reach you. I'm here to protect you, not just to tether you to the village." His hand slid down her arm to hold her own, if only for a moment. "I've been watching out for you for years, and you still don't seem to trust me."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Forgive me; it's hard to open up to you. I've been taught all my life to never rely on someone. Everyone I ever have come to trust has turned their back on me at some point." She closed her eyes, trying to escape the images of the faces swimming in her thoughts.

"I'm here for you, no matter what happens," he assured her. "I'm sure you can turn to the Kazekage for safety, as well." He added the last statement as an afterthought, and there was a hint of hostility in his voice.

"He abducted me several times," she reminded him. "He forced me against my will to accompany him.

"He's never abandoned you," Neji pointed out. "He's never once threatened your life seriously. You'd probably still be in Suna, if he hadn't gotten his priorities straight in being elected Kazekage."

Tsuki lifted her head off his shoulder to look into his pale eyes. "I'm sure one of us would have been killed by now if that was the case."

Neji chuckled. "Sure, sure; but we have an alliance with him now, stronger because of you. Surely you can't make each other that miserable if he requests you be the one to delegate with his village."

"I'm sure there are other reasons," Tsuki hissed through her teeth. "I'm not the only reason he's turned himself around."

Neji had a bemused expression on his face. "Then why would Lady Tsunade comply with his wishes and send you, even though she prefers to keep you within the village as much as possible?"

"That doesn't mean anything," she rebuked.

"It means everything to him," Neji rebutted. "Our entire schedule revolves around that meeting. We were village bound for an entire month prior to it, so we wouldn't be late because of a mission being held over. It's a huge stress for Lady Tsunade; she's already short on able bodied jounin."

"If it's a hassle then why does she go through with it?" Tsuki demanded, raising herself off the bed. "We would bother rather be sent anywhere else."

"Having an ally as strong as the Sand is important to our success as a nation. If we go to war, Suna has our back."

A war between the nations would only bring disaster. The Akatsuki would thrive on the chaos, profiting on the war and chaos, doing who knows what with the tailed beasts they've been harbouring. She knew little of their other goals, but knew Pein well enough to know he would try to gain control of the wars, and in result, the entire Shinobi world.

Orochimaru would bring unspeakable horrors, just for the pleasure of unleashing his experiments on the world. With his sadistic mind and hatred for Konoha, there would be no limit to the damage he alone would cause. With all those mutated experiments by his side, he would have a nearly unstoppable army of terror moving in every direction, leaving mayhem in its wake.

"What a dark time that would be," she stated after a moment of silence.

Neji had watched the darkness cloud her violet eyes. "If anyone could imagine those horrors, it would be you." He squeezed her hand, which he still had. She had forgotten that she was still tethered to him. He released her.

"I can't let this happen," she whispered in awe. She didn't know how she would stop it, but she had to try.

"You can't stop them on your own," he stated realistically.

"I can try," she answered defiantly. She walked swiftly out of the bedroom.

"Damn it, woman," he growled softly, watching her retreating form. "So long as I am still alive, you'll never do anything alone."


	3. Stage 3

Stage 3: Compromise

The moon was high when Neji embarked for home. The compound was both dark and empty, with most of the Hyuugas being asleep. He was silent upon arrival, unusually more so while passing Hiashi's domain.

His resentment for his family bubbled just beneath the surface of his composed façade. On missions, Tsuki would watch him go through these nightly thoughts closely, though he could never get her to tell him why she seemed so cautious. One night, he discovered for himself the answer when she refused to discuss the Uchihas. He finally connected the dots. She was holding her breath for the next clan massacre.

He wished he could honestly claim that thought had never crossed his mind. However, that was not the truth, and he sensed that she knew it. His family was very unbalanced, and their death would do nothing to save it. He could not harm a child, and Hinata would be unable to defend herself against him. He could hardly have harmed her, even in the chunin exams, it was hard.

Hiashi saw his partnership with Tsuki as suiting. Neji was destined to dwell in the newcomer's shadow, just as outcasted as she. If Hiashi knew why Neji felt so bound to her, he could possibly be expelled from the family. Hyuugas relentlessly protected the Hokage. Hiashi would agree with Neji; that he had killed him.

These thoughts haunted Neji every night. He found himself standing in front of his dresser with no memory of having gotten there. He removed his protector plate and stared at the thin green markings on his forehead. He could not find beauty in them, as his comrade did. It was a comfort to know she regards him higher than she does the other members of his clan, albeit a mild one.

He sighed. He had peaked his second decade, and his parents were urging him to find a wife and settle down. His life was half over; most shinobi didn't live beyond forty. They would never accept Tsuki, though she was the only woman he could stand to be around for prolonged periods of time. She was the only female capable of staying silent for hours when he didn't feel like talking. She seemed relieved by it. She wouldn't pry when he kept things from her, she wouldn't annoy him to tell her all his secrets. She'd just look at him, letting him know she knew he was hiding something. She couldn't pry, because she hid just as much from him. As much as her secrecy bothered him, he respected it out of appreciation for the space she gave him. The family wouldn't understand that. They had long expected for him to take Tenten as a bride when Lee failed to show interest in her. She had the dark hair and dark eyes that were optimum for the Byakugan to form, and a long line of Leaf shinobi behind her. That was all the clan leaders cared about; honour the village, continue the genes. He had no idea how Tsuki's eyes would clash with the Byakugan. They could see things he would have never noticed, especially in the dark, but she was prone to motion sickness when she saw too much red.

He threw his shirt to the floor, not caring about tidiness. His bed called to him, firm and warm. Tsuki's bed had been a stark contrast, a cloud in satin sheets. "What does she even need satin sheets for?" he asked his reflection. The man in the mirror just stared at him with his own jealous eyes.

XxX

Neji set out that morning in search of Tsuki. His night had been restless, as was to be expected, but that didn't slow down his mornings anymore. He was adapting to life with less sleep, though he longed for the days where he slept better at home than he did on missions. He eventually found her on top of the wall that surrounded the village. "Is it legal for you to be up there?" he asked, legitimately concerned. He didn't think the elder council would look kindly on her testing the limits of their security.

She looked down at him. "I wouldn't know," she answered with indifference. She was used to a life where rules didn't apply to her, making her seem all the more wild and out of control to the villagers. She mostly kept it under control, but it was times like this that Neji wondered what the others thought of her escapades.

He scaled the wall in pursuit of her, all twenty five feet of it. "What are you doing up here?"

She continued walking along the inside ledge of the wall, making no conscious effort to stay on that side. Technically speaking, she hadn't left the village, so long as she didn't cross to the other half of the wall. She was always pushing limits.

"I'm surveying the village," she answered. "It looks different from this perspective."

He looked around at the buildings and could see down various streets only so far before his view was blocked by another structure. "We're not that high up, the view is still blocked," he pointed out. He then got the feeling that this was the point, and followed her without much conversation. Her strange ways were a part of her charm. Not many others felt that way.

They continued walking until they came to the northern gates. Sakura, Naruto, and Sai were walking back into the village. He wasn't paying much attention to them, but Tsuki wasn't looking away. She always watched Naruto and Sakura closely. Neji thought they would have approached her with questions about Sasuke, but she hadn't revealed anything to him.

Naruto's rough laughter broke the silence. The passed under Neji and Tsuki without much notice. Sai made eye contact with Neji. Sai creeped him out for reasons Neji couldn't quite name.

They ran into Naruto again at Ichiraku. It was to be expected, in hindsight, as it was his favourite restaurant. Neji regretted his decision for ramen as soon as Naruto greeted them.

"Neji, Tatsuki; what are you doing here?" he exclaimed.

"Eating, I would hope," Neji answered. It irked him terribly that Naruto felt he was familiar enough with Tsuki to give her his own nickname.

While he was steaming, Tsuki ordered for them: two chicken yakisoba in a mild vegetable broth.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at Neji's blatant answer. "You're on a date, aren't you?"

"Doubtful," Neji muttered, turning a brilliant shade of red. He sat down, placing Tsuki between himself and Naruto.

"Tatsuki-chan," Naruto whined, "Are you two dating?"

"Are you dating Sakura?" she countered venomously, purposely driving a stake through his heart, knowing how much Naruto wished for that to be a reality. "Is it so unlikely that comrades enjoy lunch together, and that's all they'll ever be?" She ignored the look of pain that crossed Neji's eyes for the briefest of moments before he whisked it away.

"I just thought," he mumbled, "You guys are always together outside of missions. It's a natural assumption."

Their lunch was placed before them. Tsuki and Neji enjoyed an awkward silence together as they ate. Naruto babbled on the whole time, not requiring any of their attention; Tsuki was quite satisfied with her ability to tune him out. Every now and then her concentration was broken by Ayame's coy giggling.

Full and satisfied with her lunch, Tsuki absentmindedly pushed the leeks around her bowl. For some reason that remained unknown to Neji, she never ate the leeks. She never requested that they be left out, either. He took it upon himself to eat them fore her whenever she offered. Today, she just pushed the bowl toward him.

"You guys are so cute together," Naruto beamed.

"I'm going to break your nose," Tsuki growled at him. Neji couldn't help but notice that her hostility level was dangerously high today.

Naruto, oblivious to the danger he was in, continued to badger her farther. "Sasuke always complained that you were cold." He folded his arms across his chest and pouted.

Neji looked up at her just in time to see Naruto's face being forced into his bowl of ramen. Before he even had time to resurface and complain, she had slid silently out of the noodle shop. "Good going, kid," Neji reprimanded. He left the money on the counter to pay for their meals and pursued after her.

"What did I say?" Naruto complained, confused.

XxX

Tsuki fumed for Naruto's ignorance relentlessly. The mention of Sasuke's name had surfaced the memories she had been trying so desperately to suppress, causing her to lose her self control. One more word and she would have stayed behind just to make sure Naruto had drowned in his broth. Neji wouldn't have stopped her; or maybe he would have. It might not have made a difference.

She walked around Konoha for hours, blazing new trails. She did not want to be found. Those who crossed her path didn't stop her. She wasn't a member of _their_ society. For once, she was grateful for their forced segregation.

She passed Shikamaru Nara. He stopped his conversation with Ino to glance at her, only for a moment. He could see her fury. Ino followed his gaze with curiosity; unlike him, she glared at Tsuki with obvious distaste. Ino was waiting for Tsuki to make a mistake, always watching for her next move. Shikamaru remained emotionless.

Tsuki forced herself to calm down after passing the two, at least to appear as though she had. She was taught to control her emotions effortlessly, and up until four years ago, she had been able to do just that. Now, as she had severed herself from her rock of stability, she found it to be harder and harder to achieve an emotionless façade, such as the one Shikamaru displayed every time he saw her.

Shikamaru unsettled her. He was the only person she had difficulty reading. His lack of expression toward her had her alarmed and cautious; did he hate her, as so many others in the village did? Was he just waiting for her to make a mistake, like Ino, before lashing out all of his pent up rage for everything she was associated with? Perhaps he really didn't care, as his expressions, or lack there of, would imply, and she was simply over thinking. It unnerved her severely, not knowing what his motives and intentions were. She prided herself on being able to read even the most dangerously controlled men, yet this one boy she couldn't comprehend.

She found herself climbing up to her apartment without intending to go home just yet. She decided against turning back, as Neji was most likely waiting for her. She didn't care about explaining anything to him; he wouldn't ask that of her. Naruto would move on with his life. She couldn't care less as to how he handled what she had done.

Upon opening her front door, she found Neji lying on her couch. The door was still locked and all the windows were still closed. She never left them open. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Since you left Ichiraku," he answered, not even bothering to move. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered with an exasperated sigh. "I'm annoyed at best, infuriated at worst."

Neji now sat up on the couch and patted the cushion beside him. "I'm not asking for an explanation," he assured her.

She could feel her defences rising, even though he never asked her why she did anything. He had always been nothing short of accepting of her. "I'm not sure I would have one to give." She sat beside him, leaning against his shoulder. His smell enveloped her; a rich, lilac scent.

"I've heard a lot of hearsay about what happened between you and Sasuke," he informed her. "I'm not sure what to believe."

She stared at the coffee table in front of her. "Are you trying to help, Neji?"

He sighed and shifted slightly to the side, resting against the arm rest, allowing her to lean against his chest. "I don't know," he answered with honesty. "I can't remember why you might be upset with Sasuke, and I'm not asking. I just want to know if you're okay."

"I'm fine," she grumbled.

He could feel her shoulders tense up against him. "I believe you slightly less," he replied. He took a small breath, more to stabilize her than himself. "Let me explain something to you. Naruto's a twit. He's upset because Sakura's been turning him down for years over Sasuke, and Sasuke spurned her over you. You disregarded all of that in your belief that love is weakness."

He could feel the tension roll off of her as she prepared to retaliate whatever he was about to say. To prevent this, he placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "Please, just hear me out for this. I'm not criticizing your mindset. I'm merely explaining why Naruto acts the way he does." Her shoulders relaxed a tiny bit under his palms, and she nodded. He took a deep breath and continued. "Naruto is upset with you because Sakura is still chasing after Sasuke, because he thinks that you rejected him."

The tension immediately returned to her muscles as she coiled back. "I never rejected him. We were only ever friend!" Her voice had gone through two octaves, which made Neji weary of the information's validity.

"Nonetheless," he continued, "Naruto sees you as the one who should have taken Sasuke away from Sakura, leaving her to be loved by him. On top of that, he doesn't understand why Sasuke would have chosen to go to Orochimaru; Naruto thinks that Sasuke was just chasing after you. He can't help himself but to blame you for Sasuke's disappearance."

Tsuki sighed heavily. "This is why I don't date; the drama drives me insane."

He brushed a stray strand of hair from the side of her face to rest behind her ear. "I thought it was because you claim to be incapable of loving someone," he inquired.

"I never said I was incapable of love," she corrected. "I merely said it was weakness. You can date without love." She swatted his hand away.

"That hardly sounds like a worthwhile endeavour," he observed, resting his hand back upon her shoulder.

"Yet another reason to validate why I refuse to do so," she answered. She rested her back against him fully, allowing him to support her.

He shifted to make her more comfortable, holding his tongue and keeping his opinions to himself. She also kept her silence, thinking whatever thoughts she had within her confusing mind.

To him, their relationship was a strange one. There were moments like this, where they were physically closer than just comrades, though her opinions never changed. She would deny him any plausibility that she ever would try to become closer to someone, even while intimately pressed against him in such a way to make any outside observer believe they were more than just friends.

Somehow, she had found a way to detach intimacy from romance; he wasn't quite sure how that was possible, and there was a fine line between what she would accept and what she wouldn't tolerate, such as leaning against him and allowing him to hold her; that seemed to be fine. Yet, when he played with her hair, she would push him away and retreat inside her shell again. He narrowed it down to make a minuscule amount more sense to him: he could show small signs of intimacy, but he wasn't allowed to show that he cared. Soft touches and small gestures: those were out of bounds.

The stillness eventually got to Tsuki; she always had a need to be doing something. She couldn't stand being idle for too long. She pressed against him, breaking his train of thought entirely as he watched her rise from the sofa.

"Would you like tea?" she asked, as she walked toward the kitchen.

He followed her, leaning against the wall opposite the sink. "Always," he answered. "How could I refuse?"

She filled the kettle at the sink until it she was satisfied that it would be enough for the two of them. She set it on the stove and turned it on high.

Upon her silence, Neji pushed forward. "I didn't mean to offend you," he stated. "I hope you weren't upset by what I said."

"I know," she answered pointedly. "I'm sorry. I know to you it seems like I'm acting strange, and I don't know how to explain myself." She busied herself by packing two tea strainers full of white tea leaves.

Neji tilted his head a few degrees to the right. "Is there something going on that I don't know about? You know you can tell me anything."

She sighed softly; he almost couldn't hear it over the small bubbles forming inside the steaming kettle. "I just have a gut feeling," she explained, "And it isn't a good one. Like I said, I can't explain it. I just feel like something's off."

He stood behind her, once more placing his hands on her shoulders. "Could you be feeling this because we're completely out of sync?" he asked.

"I don't think we are," she answered defensively. He could feel her tense again.

Neji left her side to take the boiling water off the stove before the whistling steam could pierce their conversation. "You haven't noticed that we've been hit and miss since our mission to Suna began?" he asked, pouring the water into their cups.

"What do you mean?" she asked, accepting her cup from him and bobbing the strainer in the water, forcing the tea to steep faster.

He sighed. "You're on edge, and I've been walking on glass. Any mention of anything that relates to your past, romance, the future, or relations in general has you on fire. The mere mention of Sasuke's name caused you to assault Naruto." When he looked into her eyes, he could see the daggers. He had hit his mark. "Don't be upset with me, Tsuki, I'm only worried."

"I'm fine, Hyuuga-san." Her jaw was set ridged and locked.

The snub didn't escape Neji's notice. "It's been two years, and you still call me Hyuuga-san when you're upset with me," he pointed out with a smirk.

She set her cup down on the counter while she waited and folded her arms against her chest, a defensive stance. "So what's your point?"

"There isn't one," he answered. "I'm not looking to fight with you." He reached for the honey and poured a generous serving into both of their cups, removing the steeping strainers. He handed her the cup.

She glared into her tea. "I know, Neji. I'm distracting you from me."

He stared at her, not sure what she meant. He took a stab in the dark. "Our lives depend on each other, and you're pushing me away? What's the worst that you could endure if you let me past your defences?"

She just glared into her cup with more ferocity than before.

He sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

She took a sip of the scalding liquid and Neji watched her emotions melt behind an icy façade; that was never a good sign. "Why are you so concerned?" she asked. Her voice was deceivingly calm.

Neji knew that he was walking on thin ice; if he said the wrong thing, their whole relationship would crash and burn, forcing him to start from the beginning once more. He'd made that mistake before. He wasn't willing to do it again. "When you're unsettled, Tsuki, I'm unsettled; likewise, when I'm upset, you are too. We are a team; two parts of a whole. I depend on you. My life is in your hands. That's why I care." He drained his tea in one go to finalize his point.

"I'm fine," she repeated. It seemed to him that she spent a lot of time convincing him of that.

He watched her carefully, not daring to call her out on her lie when he was already walking through dangerous waters. She knew that he knew the truth. He knew that she knew.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" she asked, after some time had passed.

"Because you confuse the hell out of me," he answered. He sighed before he continued. "No one can keep me on my toes like you do."

"Maybe that's what you need, Neji. It's high time someone threw you off your guard." She poured more water into their cups and replaced the tea strainers.

"If that's the case, then maybe you need someone who can break through your defences and earn your trust," He countered.

She leaned against the counter. "Touché," she answered. "So now what?"

"What, now what?" he asked in response, sweetening his tea.

She accepted the honey from him. "What do we do now?" she clarified. "Clearly what we're doing isn't working for us."

He sighed. "I'm open to any suggestions you might have. How can I earn your trust?"

"I don't think I can trust anymore, Neji, not with everything that's happened." She put the honey back in the cabinet.

Neji set his cup down on the table to his right and forcibly approached her. With his hands on the counter behind her, confining her within his arms, he whispered softly into her ear, "That's behind you now. Orochimaru never wanted you to trust anyone. He controlled you that way; he still controls you so long as you believe that." She tried to look away from him, but he guided her to face him again. "This is what he wants of you, Tsuki. He's always alienated you from everyone else. He wanted to be the only one you could rely on, because he knew you were the only one he couldn't poison into submission."

"I trusted him, and he destroyed me, Neji. I trusted Sasuke, and he turned his back on me as soon as he met resistance; when it was no longer convenient for him to want me. I started to see a pattern." He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He had broken her façade.

"You had to trust me to come back here. What has happened to you since?" he demanded.

She looked him in the eye after she blinked away her tears. "Do you really think that trust is our problem?" she asked.

"We'll start with trust," he answered. "That's the foundation of a functioning team. From there, everything else will fall into place. After trust, we can work on communication, and our fluidity." He released her from his binds, stepping back to retrieve his tea.

She sighed in defeat. "Can we start with communication?"

Neji contemplated her request for a moment. "That sounds reasonable. Will you tell me what's bothering you?"

She looked at the floor, shying away from his gaze. "Only if you answer a question for me," she answered.

"I'll answer anything you ask," he replied as he reacquainted himself with his tea.

She sighed as she braced herself to answer his question. "It's been over two years since I've heard of any activity from Orochimaru or the Akatsuki regarding myself or any danger this village might be in. I'm worried that we're long overdue," she explained.

"Alright," he conceded, "Now what's your question?"

Tsuki stared at Neji for a moment, not sure how he would react. "What's the deal with you and Tenten?"

"Fine," he sighed, clearly not wanting to divulge her curiosity, "But you have to explain Gaara."

She nodded, waiting eagerly for his answer.

"She and I were team mates when we were genin. I don't know about Sound or Sand shinobi, but the majority of marriages here are started on genin squads. You get used to the konoichi in question, and bonds continue to grow. It's only natural. People expected this of her and I when Lee showed no interest in her at all. She allowed the idea to consume her, expecting it to be an undeniable fact other than just an idle fantasy. I, however, did not." He met Tsuki's gaze again. "Now, about the Kazekage," he prodded.

"Hold on," she back peddled. "Why does she feel inclined toward you, but you don't feel the same way?"

"There are many reasons," he answered, shifting his weight. "Most of them are personal." She arched an eyebrow, demanding further explanation. "Choosing her would please Hiashi," he explained, "And we really don't have much to talk about. Now it's your turn."

She sighed, accepting his answer though she knew he was hiding something from her. "It started during the chunin exams," she began. "Orochimaru was worried that the Kazekage before Gaara was intending to counter strike against him. The sound genin and I were recruited to gather intell on the matter, by any means necessary. I specialize in reading people, and drew the short straw, it seems. Somehow, flirting with the sand demon worked; until he found out I was following orders. Manipulating his feelings to gather information didn't go over too well. He vowed to make me suffer while quenching a sick thirst for revenge. Once he became Kazekage, he softened toward me once he came to terms with having higher priorities than chasing me across the nations. The infatuation seems to still be there, but the bitterness seems to have faded with time and wisdom."

"Interesting story," he commented. "So, he likes you because you fooled him?"

She shook her head. "No, he liked me because I was the first person he met that wasn't afraid of him, and didn't meet him head on with a challenge. When he found out I tricked him, he hated me for it," she clarified. "When he realized he would infiltrate a criminal organization for me, he tried to convince me that if he could love, then so could I, and that no one would understand my pains the way he could."

Neji's eyes darkened as he recognized the truth of what she said. He would never understand the pain she went through with losing her parents, or being sought after by the two most hated organizations in the shinobi world. "So, can you love?" he asked. His curiosity ate at him, as well as mild jealousy. He had always suspected that there was more to Gaara and Tsuki than a professional relationship.

"Undoubtedly I could if I wanted to," she answered. "Will I, though? I think not."

"Here's another question for you," he declared. "Why do you refuse to love?"

She set her empty cup in the sink. "Love is a weakness that leads only to bitterness and death. My father died protecting my mother, as Orochimaru's parents had died before that. Sasuke became infatuated with me, and that turned to bitter hatred for my following orders with Gaara, who hated me for fooling him into thinking he had been loved in the first place."

Neji's eyes darkened as he rinsed out his cup as well. "Seems to me like Orochimaru really knew how to isolate you."

"It was his favourite hobby," she answered.

"Do you really feel it's a valid point if Orochimaru made it?" he asked, caressing her cheek softly as he returned to his wall.

"Neji, please don't press it," she asked.

"Alright," he appeased, "I'll let it go for now."


	4. Stage 4

Stage 4: Testing Boundaries

Tsuki panted, out of breath momentarily, allowing time to evaluate her tactics: dodge left, throw right, left round house, centre block, and right skip kick. Neji assaulted her from every angle, proving himself a worth opponent for her advanced defences.

Neji leaped backward, to gather his own breath. Without pause, she leapt forward at his throat. She gripped his shoulders as she stood upright on her hands. The added weight caused his knees to buckle, and she slid down his back just in time to bring him down to the ground.

"I win this one," she gloated, mildly out of breath.

He looked up at her from the ground, his Byakugan still activated. "Best two out of three?" he offered. He sat up and winced.

"I think I'm done for the day," she answered. She reached a hand toward him, helping him to his feet.

"I'll get you tomorrow," he challenged, clutching a stitch in his side. "What's our time?"

She checked the stopwatch lying in the grass. "We're at three hours, forty two minutes for me to take you down," she answered. Their first sparing match took her twenty minutes to ground him; once she figured out she could beat him if she broke his Eight Trigrams. Their second spar took nearly half an hour for him to have her confined. They were equally matched, and quickly led each other to improve. He could see her weak points, and she had the vision to see his attacks, despite their speed.

"Tomorrow, you will taste defeat," he vowed. He began to walk back to the village. They took their sessions to the surrounding forests to two reasons; privacy and improvisation. Their need to change their surroundings plays up their ability to use any environment to their advantage. Some days it was a meadow in a clearing in the forest; others, it was a waterfront. Each day they wandered farther and farther from home, seeking new obstacles to face.

She always watched him closely after their sparring bouts. Sweat was dripping down his face, gathering at his neck, and his breathing remained hitched. She observed him until it returned to normal before he asked about what was bothering her.

"Nothing is bothering me," she answered, keeping pace with him.

"Do you have to monitor me every time we finish training?" He rubbed his forehead at the temples, wiping away excess sweat. It stirred the scent of his floral pheromones.

"I'm a trained medical shinobi," she reminded him. "Sometimes I can get carried away and harm my opponent more than necessary."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "You worry too much." He closed his eyes as they continued walking.

"Be satisfied I'm concerned at all. Most people I couldn't care less about," she teased. She playfully pushed him off their path and into a tree.

His eyes snapped open as soon as he was rendered off balance. He purposely over corrected and toppled into her, knocking her into another tree, pinning her underneath his weight.

"Eww, Neji, you're all sweaty and gross; get off of me!"

He laughed as they continued walking.

They crossed the gates into the village. The sun had risen, and people were bustling about their daily business.

As jounin, Neji and Tsuki were never short of things to do. Tsuki spent most of her time in the hospital's pharmacy, where her work was closely supervised. Neji was among an elite squad of shinobi in consideration for the ANBU Black Ops, which was the main reason he and Tsuki trained so hard, so long, and so often.

They entered a small tea house together that they frequented, where they were received with hot peppermint tea, lightly sweetened with honey. Lavender hung in the air, mingled with jasmine. The aroma tickled Tsuki's nose. Their table was in a back corner, screened off with a painted rice paper partition. It gave them the privacy they wanted. Tsuki curled up on a cushion, Neji pulled his closer to her.

"You seem tired," he observed. "Would you like to go home for a nap?"

She yawned briefly. "That's tempting, but not yet. I'm supposed to stop by the hospital to sign over an experiment to one of Tsunade's drones."

"Surely that can wait," he goaded. "You shouldn't do medical work while drowsy."

"The work is already done," she explained. "They just need me to sign it to them so they can run their tests on it."

He took a sip from his steaming cup. "Why do they want to conduct their own tests?"

She sighed, placing her cup back down on the table. "They want to make sure it does what I say it does, and only that. Tsunade doesn't trust that I won't leave things as they should be; she sees Orochimaru when she looks at me. I'm being watched closely for his crimes, to see if I'll commit to them myself."

Neji snorted out of annoyance. "Isn't it enough that I trust you? I'm risking my entire clan's reputation on you. Surely that amounts for something?"

"I'm afraid it isn't," she stated. "Worse still, I'm afraid you'll suffer more for it. People resist change, and you're the one who brought me here to stay. Without you, Tsunade would have arranged for my execution. You were there when she hinted at it."

He sighed at the memory. "Sure, sure; but now we have information on our top two enemies that we wouldn't have had before. That speaks for you in its own right."

"To most, I'm enemy number three," she reminded him. "I'm not against it, either."

"Why are you so accepting of being an outcast?" he asked in shock.

She drained the last dregs of her tea before continuing. "I don't like people, Neji. It's easier for me if they don't like me, either." He had refilled her cup as she spoke, and was now filling his own. "Some people I can stand, like you. Others, I can't stay five minutes in their presence without anger. I was moulded to be a loner."

"I'm guessing you're okay with that," he stated, adding honey to his tea while it cooled.

She shrugged as she stirred her own tea with a small spoon. "The less people I get attached to, the less pain ensues."

He eyed her from across the table. "It would be less painful for who; them, or you?"

"Both," she answered softly, after a moment's hesitation. "I'm very capable of hurting people."

"I am fully aware," he answered softly, internalizing his emotional surge.

Her eyes clouded over as she attempted to hide herself behind her tea cup. "I don't want to hurt you, Neji."

He looked at her, almost quizzically. "I haven't a clue how you would manage to," he stated.

She shook her head. He would forever deny it. Perhaps it would be best, for both of them, if she tried to see it his way. Then again, it would go against her very core nature to put that much faith in one person. She could never let herself be vulnerable again, not even to the one person she trusted the most. She was already doing everything she could to keep him as safe from her inner demons as possible; it was inevitable that he be put in danger from the external forces that hunted her. He knew full well when he signed on to be her comrade, and guard dog, what dangers would hunt her down.

"I should go," she stated softly. She tossed a handful of Ryo on the table, more than enough to cover both of them, and left the tea house, immersed in her own thoughts.

Neji watched her go, powerless to stop her. "Well, that was awkward," he quietly sighed to himself. He walked out after her, only to stop himself partway down the street.

Tenten walked out of a shop a short ways in front of him, laden with parcels tucked under her arm. He walked toward her. "Hey," he smiled.

She looked up at him with surprise. "Neji; I didn't expect to see you."

"Do you want help with that?" he offered, matching his pace with hers.

"No, I think I've got it," she answered. "Are you looking for Tsuki?" There was a tone of bitterness to her voice.

"No," he answered flatly.

She looked at him, puzzled. Her eyes asked for more information, but she knew she wouldn't get it if she asked. "Oh," was all she could muster.

"Where are you headed?" he asked, quickly changing the subject before Tenten could further inquire to his comrade's absence.

"I'm going home," she replied. "I just needed to pick up a few things for my father. He would enjoy seeing you again."

Neji looked back at the hospital a moment, thinking of Tsuki. "I suppose I could make a short visit; what has it been, four months?"

Tenten glared at him. "It's been almost two years, Neji." She didn't need to draw the connection between his hiatus from her life to the appearance of his new comrade for him to pick up the snub.

"It can't have been that long." He brushed off her distaste so easily. "I remember being there."

She shook her head. "No, it's really been that long. Too long," she paused as she gave him a weak smile. "I've missed you."

"I suppose it has been a while," he sighed.

Tenten stopped in front of her house. "Why did you stay away for so long? Does she not want you to have other friends?"

Neji stopped beside her, looking her dead in the eye as he did so. "It has nothing to do with that. Our relationship is strictly professional. She's a comrade and a friend, nothing more. I've been busy. I'm training to become a black ops shinobi."

"Congratulations, Neji," she smiled dully. She wasn't quite convinced, he could tell, but she was forced to accept his answer. He knew that she would inquire later, but didn't want to disrupt his time with her so early. She slid open the front door to the entrance hall, where they removed their shoes and entered the house.

XxX

Tsuki handed the appropriate documents to Andoku, a medical shinobi specializing in chakura networks. "Everything is in order," she informed him.

His sharp, green eyes shifted to her. "We shall see about that, Miss Dentsu." His medium length, blonde hair was dishevelled around his face. "We will return the product if we deem it safe. You shall know our findings soon enough. Good day." He walked out of her lab without another word.

She quickly ducked out of her lab behind him. "Hold on a minute, Andoku," she called after him.

He stalled in the corridor, but did not turn around to see what it was she wanted. "No, you may not partake in the testing procedures," he stated before hearing her question.

"That's good to know," she replied, "But that's not my question. She came parallel to him, barely able to look him in the eyes through his hair.

He sighed, forced to give in to her inquiry. "Alright, what is your request?" His eyes shifted once more away from her.

It bothered her deeply that he never had the courtesy to face her. "I simply wish to observe the testing."

"That is out of the question," he answered abruptly. "Anything you wish to know you can find out in a few short days." He continued to walk down the corridor.

"There should be no reason why I can not witness the proceedings," she rebuked. "I won't be contaminating the results in any way. I jut wish to observe."

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back in annoyance. "You already have my answer. However, I will ask Lady Tsunade what she thinks. I will have her answer to you by tomorrow."

She followed him for another five minutes, weaving her way through the network of hallways and corridors. When he turned around to ask her to leave, she had already disappeared. She was off to find Neji, and maybe cash in that nap.

Tsuki had looked for Neji for at least an hour. He hadn't been home yet, nor was he at any of their frequent hang outs. He wasn't at the training grounds, and the gate keepers hadn't seen him leave the village. He wasn't scheduled for Ops training until after dark. She was exasperated.

She went back to her apartment. The sun was setting when she had just walked through the door. She didn't get the nap she so needed. She put the tea kettle on to boil before collapsing on the sofa. She unfurled a scroll of medical notes on the product Andoku had taken from her earlier in the afternoon. The paperwork had taken hours on both parts. They had to oversee each other, so she had to wait for him to arrive, as she was always early. Andoku was always right on time.

She focused on every detail she could before the kettle started to scream for her attention. She poured the boiling water over an instant chamomile tea bag and let it steep. The aroma relaxed her mind's furious frenzy, but only slightly.

The outcome of this project worried her. It was the first major thesis Tsunade allowed her to work on alone. Her credibility rested upon its shoulders; either she would pass, and the village would see her as an asset, or she would fail, and forever be dishonoured in Konohagakure.

When Neji walked in she was already fast asleep on the couch, her medical journal had fallen to the floor and her tea was untouched. It was cold when he picked up the mug. He had gotten wind of her search for him hours after he had left Tenten and hurried to her apartment. He didn't expect to find her asleep, but there she lay.

He tried to rouse her, careful not to wake her sleeping form, but as soon as his arm was under her, her eyes flew open.

"What time is it," she asked; her voice was still groggy.

"Shortly after ten," he answered. "You really should go to bed if you're tired."

She sat up. "I'm not tired," she lied. "It was the chamomile."

He picked the discarded journal off the floor. "I thought you were done working on this project; what good is reading it now?"

"It goes up for review tomorrow," she explained. "I was trying to look at it through biased eyes, to see what they might see."

He was about to say something before he was interrupted abruptly by a knock on the door, which startled them both. "Who could that be?" he inquired.

"Andoku, I hope," she answered. She rose to her feet as another series of staccato raps were heard beyond the door, growing impatient with every moment the knocker had to wait. She opened the door to see that it was in fact Andoku, standing there, no longer wearing his medical garb.

"I have your answer," he stated blatantly, without waiting for her to inquire his business. He held out the scroll to her, emblazoned with the Hokage's insignia. It was sealed closed, ensuring to Tsuki that he hadn't the pleasure of knowing its contents. "Your orders are written."

She accepted the document, it feeling much heavier in her hands than it should. "Thank you," she stated politely, "Would you like to come inside?" The offer was strictly out of propriety; she knew he would decline.

"No," he answered, looking away from her. "I must be going. It's late." With that having been said, he disappeared from her doorstep and was gone.

Neji appeared behind her once their visitor had departed. "That was brief," he concluded. His voice hinted at his distaste for Andoku's rudeness.

She closed the door behind her. "That's how he usually is, toward me anyway; short and precise. He's not much for company, though."

"I could tell," Neji replied impatiently. "Now, will you go to bed?"

She was busy unfurling Tsunade's answer. Inside were an affirmative, date, time and location of her testing, as well as a thorough list of restrictions to keep her from tampering with the results. Relief washed over Tsuki as the night's worry slipped away from her. She couldn't prevent the small smile from becoming etched across her face. "You just got here, Neji; are you trying to be rid of me so quickly?" she accused playfully. "I can go much longer without sleep than you can, and you're not even tired."

He smiled at the jest, even though it was at his expense. He could see the energy come back to her, and knew that she had gotten her way. It was a small victory, but a victory all the same to her. He headed her off to the kitchen and placed the kettle back on the stove; not for tea, but for hot chocolate. It was a favourite of hers that she rarely indulged in, but tonight, they had something to celebrate.


	5. Stage 5

Stage 5: Limitations

Having added the observation of the new product to her schedule, this started a new routine for Tsuki and Neji over the next few days. They would wake up at six in the morning, train until it was nearly noon, get their lunch and tea together, and then go their separate way. Tsuki would go to the hospital, and Neji would either train with his ANBU squadron, or find himself alone with Tenten.

He could see the same infatuation in her eyes from when they trained under Guy in their youth. He knew that his presence with her was only fanning her flames, but at what cost? Tenten knew he came from Tsuki's presence. Wouldn't she also know then, that he wasn't looking? The time without Tsuki was becoming unbearable alone. Tenten was able to take his mind off of her absence, if only for small breaks at a time. He still found himself wondering about her while in Tenten's company, but he wasn't constantly brooding over what she was doing or when she would be done. He knew it was selfish of him to seek Tenten out this way, but he was finding himself becoming accustomed to her the more time went on.

XxX

Tsuki walked down the corridors to the adjacent lab0ratory to her own. It belonged to Andoku, and looked completely different to the one she was accustomed to. There were machines she couldn't recognize lining the walls, and the ones she could identify were all for the study and development of chakra. That was his specialty and a difficult one if you weren't born with an ocular kekkei genkai that allowed you to see an individual's networks. It was only fitting that he led the team that tested her new drug.

"You've showed up," Andoku commented. "I half expected you to be a no show." Though his words were those of torment, he kept his voice neutral and bored. He watched the ire flood her eyes in her annoyance with him. Internally, he allowed himself a feeling of pride. She was such an easy woman to manipulate emotionally; quite hot headed and fickle. He found her amusing in his own right, but remained ever cold and indifferent to her, as far as she knew.

She forced a smile, though still fighting the urge to glare daggers at him. "It pleases me to know that I'm thought so highly of in the minds of my colleagues," she answered coyly. She kept her tone just as neutral as he had, though the word's meaning carried a razor's edge.

He contained his amusement at her response. She was easily manipulated into showing her emotional responses, yes; her predictability, however, was far from stable. "I am in no way a colleague of yours," he answered as though he were saying nothing more important or interesting than mentioning the weather outside. He watched her eyes narrow, knowing that it stung her to know he was insulted by her assumed closeness. "Shall we proceed?"

She hardened her exterior against him, taking away his ability to gain any physical response from her. "Please do," she answered.

He directed her to a chair, noticing the shift in her façade. "You may sit over there."

She seated herself and pulled out her journal that she kept through the development of the product, for note taking purposes. She watched him go through a condensed version of them briefly before he stated, "I will require chakra midway through the testing process and refuse to jeopardize my own. Do you volunteer?" he asked.

She saw right through his motives. "I would be more than willing to offer myself as your lab rat," she answered flatly, "but there would be two problems with doing so; first, that would contaminate your results, and second, my chakra wouldn't respond to it accurately."

He bent over his microscope, studying the molecular structure of the cream. "Do you admit to creating a faulty product?" he inquired, not bothering to look up at her.

"I'm sure you've noticed in your study of me upon my return to Konohagakure that my chakra is unique. After all, you do pride yourself in being the top specialist in the village." Again, it was strictly a battle of words. Neither was willing to offer the other any sign of emotion, though their egos took heavy blows.

"I have seen thousands of networks," he informed her blatantly. "Do you honestly expect me to remember the specific network of one outsider?" He had crossed a tender line within her, and he knew it, but he wouldn't allow her the satisfaction of knowing that he did in fact remember her chakra, nor that it fascinated him to no extent. After having done all of the observational study he could get away with, he took his extensive and precise notes and studied them almost exclusively for months. To this day he had no idea what caused it to appear pale violet.

It would seem that she couldn't bring herself to correct him. She could sense his lie, but didn't press the matter. It was a small satisfaction to know that he had to lie to her to protect his pride. "Be that as it may," she answered, bringing him from his reverie that she had permitted, "I suggest we find someone else to substitute as your lab rat."

He adjusted the focus and turned to flip the power supply to the wall mounted monitor. It hummed to life and showed the cream on the slide on a microscopic level. "You are correct; and I believe Hyuuga san would be more than willing to cooperate with us, if you think you could persuade him."

Tsuki had to repress a snort of laughter. As it was, a smirk touched her lips. Andoku could see her confidence in gaining Neji's help. "If anything were to happen to him," he continued, implying a threat, "It would fall on your conscience." He turned to observe the image on the screen, showing him the pale, green hued cream she had procured for him. He shuffled his paperwork into order, reading the questions out loud for her to answer. It would annoy her more, and saved him from looking up the answers himself. "How is the product to be administered?"

"It is to be applied to one or more of the 361 chakra points directly," she answered.

"It is safe to assume that you have correctly identified each and every one of the chakra points in your notes, then?" he inquired. He allowed his eyebrow to arch in her direction. He was satisfied to see her forehead twitch in agitation.

"Are you audacious enough to question the validity of the Hyuuga's ability to identify chakra networks?" she inquired boldly. "I used the same medical journals that you reference every day. Unless you've secretly thought that for generations they've been lying about the abilities of the Byakugan, we can assume that my work is atonomically correct."

He became annoyed with himself for walking blindly into her argument; of course she would use the medical journals he had readily available to him. Being so close to the source, it wouldn't be difficult for her to get her hands on copies of all the Hyuuga's works, even if it was an arduous task for any normal person. "A simple yes would have sufficed," he stated, not allowing her to phase his cool façade.

They worked like this for hours; him asking her loaded questions, attempting to back her into a corner she couldn't escape from, and her countering him expertly. Try as he might to invalidate her work, she always found a way around him, or saw though him in a way to make him feel childish. They bantered, bickered, and bashed each other blatantly.

At the end of the evening, they packed up their things and prepared to head their separate ways, both glad to finally be rid of the other. By the end of their workings together, they had both calmed down a tad; his attacks were more subtle, and her responses were less catty.

"When will you require Neji?" she inquired, picking up her notebook.

"Not for another three days, at least," he informed her. "I have a bit more work to do on a chemical level beforehand."

"I would like a copy of that list," she demanded, referring to the written set of chemical compounds her cream was to be added to, to test the reaction.

He shuffled through the file of paperwork in his hand and handed her the sheet in question. "Is there anything else you require?"

She shook her head in response. "If I think of anything, it can wait until tomorrow," she answered. She filed the paper away before she left him alone in his lab.

XxX

Neji watched Tenten tentatively. She was sharpening a dozen kunai in a contemplative state. He felt disturbed; something was amiss, though he couldn't quite think of what it was. Whatever it was, it unsettled him, and he didn't agree with it.

Tenten had long caught on to his discomfort, but her inquiries were dismissed immediately. He tried to put the feeling out of his head; his attempts failed desperately. "I'm going home early tonight," he informed her. "There's something I need to look into." He left before she could even protest.

He approached Tsuki's apartment complex and took the exterior staircase to her front door. She used to keep the spare key in a knot in the wood, but he knew it hadn't been there for years. He fished the tiny brass key out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

He stepped into the darkness cautiously, closing the door behind him. Tsuki wasn't home yet, he could tell, but he could clearly see the outline of the figure sitting on her sofa. Neji raised his fingers to his lips and whispered, "Byakugan," but was a moment too late. Though he could see the three men, he couldn't stop their advance.

Wires surrounded him, restraining his arms to his body. They were tightened painfully, and in an instant he fell to the floor as his knees were pulled out from under him.

"Restrain him well," one of the men spoke to the others, "And be sure he cannot speak." To Neji, the voice was unknown, but as soon as the order was given, a seal was placed over his mouth to keep him from making any sound. Not only that, but his entire body was incapable of movement. He knew, should he make the tiniest of movements, the faintest of flutterings, and the seal would detonate.

He found himself hastily shoved into a corner where his scent would not resonate to warn Tsuki of their presence. All Neji could do was wait for hell to break loose, and hope she would catch the warning signs early. He prayed to the fates that her life would be spared.

XxX

Tsuki walked away from her lab after locking the door. The moon was high; stars were struggling to shine through the glow of the village. The hospital doors latched behind her as she walked into the cool night air. A breeze played with her hair, flirting with the tresses as she sensed her day coming to an end. She wanted nothing more than to enjoy a cup of tea with Neji before he departed, leaving her to sleep the rest of the night away, if he left at all. She was more than aware of the nights when he pretended to leave, then snuck through her window hours later when she was sleeping. The small noises were still enough to wake her, but upon realizing it was him, she didn't mind. His presence often brought comfort to her.

She took the back way home, passing the academy. She kicked the swing as she passed, faintly remembering the night she met Sasuke there prior to the Chunin exams. She quickly pushed that thought from her mind and moved on, forgetting that it even happened. No one crossed her path on her way home.

When she reached her apartment, Neji's scent reached her nose, and she could smell his stress. She opened the door slowly, expecting to find him there on her sofa, glaring up at the ceiling, angry at something or other that would wind up having no importance to anything, waiting for her to come home.

The smell of burning paper woke her from that image. She quickly jumped off the balcony in time to see her doorway explode from both sides of the door jamb.

She darted to her left before touching the ground, sensing the pressure plate where she would land that would no doubt activate another trap that was set for her. She quickly ran the perimeter, scaling the back wall to her bedroom window, her mind in frenzy over what could have happened to Neji, and who was waiting for her in her apartment?

Upon looking in the window, she could see the trip wire below the pane, set to catch should she cross the sill. There were several interlaced a few feet apart, each running in a different direction, each crossed over another wire. Her bedroom had been turned into a minefield.

Her kitchen window showed the same scene. Her home was now a fortress, with her being on the wrong side. She could feel the edge of panic in her mind, not for herself, but for her comrade who had to be inside. She found herself making the hand seals to produce the earth hiding technique and buried herself inside the wall, emerging on the other side in silence. The kitchen itself was not heavily trapped; the wires she saw had just been a rouse to get her to try to enter through the bedroom. The traps didn't extend past three feet beyond the window.

She could not detect a foreign scent anywhere, only the water on the floor, which told her that she was dealing with familiar opponents. She picked her way to the living room cautiously, where at her feet she could hear the sound of releasing gas, hissing on the floor. The smell was unfamiliar to her, and she couldn't' see the colour in the dark. It wasn't the usual poisonous gas, nor was it the kind that made you fall asleep as soon as you inhaled it, but she wasn't sure if it was safe to inhale in large doses.

She took in as much air as her longs could hold before she surveyed the living room. She searched for every detail until she finally saw Neji, restrained in a corner, watching her closely through Byakugan eyes. She quickly attempted to cross to him, intending to unbind him when the fear and dread in his eyes stopped her in her tracks.

"I have found you, child," a cold, ruthless voice whispered from behind her. The voice sent shivers down her spine as she felt a hand at her shoulder, binding her in her place. "I have found you, and I intend to be sure that you will never evade me again."

A second man's voice chortled cruelly behind her, and she knew this was not another nightmare; they had finally come for her, and now, it seemed, her comrade was doomed to pay the steep price for attempting to give her freedom.


	6. Stage 6

Stage 6: Illusions

Neji watched Tsuki fall to the floor and cringed. She was alive, but unconscious. Two of the Akatsuki members lifted her up and wrapped a cloak around her shoulders, marking her as one of their rank. He couldn't move or speak to defend her. He couldn't stop himself from thinking that this time they would kill her. He watched the third man pull hand seals in quick succession, and he placed his palms on Tsuki's shoulder blades, hiding her identity from everyone who could not see her chakra. The men began talking amongst themselves quietly. His anger boiled over when the tall one called her a slut. Why, he wondered, why did they have to come now? The sleeping gas had finally drifted to his corner, and he could barely fight it off long enough to watch them take their leave.

XxX

Tsuki woke up chained to a bed wearing the Akatsuki robe. She attempted to lift her wrist, but the lock was set to where she could hardly move. She would have thought they had learned the last time that it wouldn't hold her down for long; or maybe they weren't trying to confine her when she was awake. Perhaps it was to keep her from lashing out and killing her attendant while she slept. Regardless of their reason, the hindrance annoyed her. She forced her chakra into the lock, forcing the pins to spring open, and with them, the lock broke apart.

"You're already awake," a flat tone stated. "It's not surprising, really; you always did recover quickly." He sounded as though he was under water, muffled and distorted, and very far away.

She almost didn't recognize who was speaking to her. The usual warmth in his voice had left him completely; arctic wasn't cold enough to describe how he was toward her. Even as her eyes tried to focus on his sitting form, he was positioned away from her, refusing to look at her. His blond hair covered his face so she couldn't see him. "Deidara," she whispered. Her voice sounded as though she was hearing it with cotton in her ears.

He snapped to glare at her. "So you do remember me, hm? I was beginning to wonder if your new fling made you forget." There was anger in his cerulean eyes, and behind that, genuine hurt.

She looked at him, confused. "I don't know what you're talking about, Deidara. I don't have a fling."

He barked in heated, sarcastic laughter. "You don't have a boyfriend at all, hm? Why else would he show up at your house in the middle of the night? I'm not a fool."

"He's my comrade," she protested angrily. "I don't owe you any kind of explanation.

"No, you don't," he conceded bitterly. "Leader-sama requests your presence. You are to leave at once. It would be wise to not keep him waiting." He left without a backward glance at her.

Tsuki fumed at Deidara's behaviour while she walked away from the medical building through the rain drenched city. Not only were her sight and sense of hearing off, but her balance was as well. She stumbled often, catching herself with her hands as she came to lean against walls of the spire like buildings, thankful that her display went unnoticed by the villagers. The Akatsuki kept to themselves in a more secluded part of the city. "What crawled up his ass and died?" she wondered out loud, to no one in particular. Her feet marched along a familiar path; she would most certainly meet Pein, but she would do it in her own time. There were more important matters to attend to prior to dealing with the royal pain in her ass. Right now, she wanted answers, and no one else in the entire city would give her straight answers more than Itachi. As it stood, it had been two years since she had spoken with him. In her time away, she had denied it, but now that he was so close to her, she had to admit to herself that she missed him.

She found him in his study as he was bent over paperwork, writing reports on his latest mission for the Akatsuki. She watched him work for quite some time in silence, not wanting to disturb his peace. After a few minutes, he leaned back in his chair and tipped his head back, brushing his bangs out of his face with both his hands.

"You really shouldn't keep Leader-sama waiting," he chastised her, "But all the same, it's nice to see you again."

"How did you know I was here?" she asked, approaching him from the shadows. She knew the answer before he spoke it; the Sharingan. "You know, every time you said that you could see me when I was hiding just because you had the Sharingan, you were lying through your teeth." She sat on his desk, facing him. She leaned forward, supporting herself with her hands on the edge of the wood.

He opened his eyes and smirked at her. "How would you know that?" he asked.

"I've seen through Sharingan eyes," she answered. "You can't see someone through solid masses." Even as the memory resurfaced, she felt motion sick. He arched an eyebrow in response to her statement, and she knew he wanted her to explain how that came to be. "Promise me you'll keep your questions for later," she begged. When he nodded in assent, she launched into the story explaining Orochimaru's obsession with creating an offspring from her that contained the Sharingan, including the eight hour incubation period that Sasuke's blood had before her body attacked and destroyed the foreign cells. This experiment had successfully, but temporarily given her the Uchiha kekkei genkai.

He followed her story closely, thinking hard about what she had told him, and her story sparked a few of his own curiosities. "Does this work on all blood line traits?" he asked her, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk.

"I would assume so," she answered. "There would be only one way to test that theory though." She didn't want to go through the discomforts of looking through another's eyes ever again. She could only imagine how massive a headache she would get after looking around in a forest through the Byakugan.

He could sense her lack of interest in the subject, and sensed that she wasn't telling him the entire story. He knew better than to press the subject, though, and just nodded, allowing her a few moments of silence before he changed the subject. "You're awfully calm for being here," he stated in observation.

"I don't know what they drugged me with before I came, but it's playing with my senses," she explained. "I've been having a hard time focusing my vision on anything, and it sounds like I'm underwater." She uncrossed her legs for a moment, and then crossed them again.

Itachi nodded in understanding. "The gas must also have a calming effect, if you're not panicking about your loss of senses."

She shrugged. "I didn't scream at Deidara for being a prick earlier, either," she informed him.

Itachi chucked warmly. "He would deserve it if you had. He's been stewing in his own self misery for days."

Tsuki's eyebrows furrowed as she thought. "Itachi, how long was I knocked out?" she asked him. If Deidara's been angry at her for days because of what the others had said it was no wonder he was so worked up. He let his mind wander and eat him alive.

"You've been here for roughly forty eight hours," he answered. "Consider yourself lucky. Most of the test subjects stayed comatose for well over a week."

"This must have been one of Sasori's creations," she stated calmly, gazing over to the window.

"It was one of his last, before he died. It was designed specifically for you," he informed her, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "He wanted to keep you asleep long enough to believe that you were actually dead."

She looked into his crimson eyes. "Should I feel special to have my own poison?" she asked.

Itachi chucked again. "I would," he answered. "Sasori hates everyone equally, but something about you got under his skin, or would have, if he had any."

She giggled softly at Itachi's words, remembering the way his wooden body splintered under her palms. "He should have tried cobra venom if he wanted me to wish for death." She lifted herself off of Itachi's desk and approached the door.

"I'll make a note of that," he teased. He gathered up his completed forms and accompanied her out the door of his study and into the hallway. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the wetness of the streets outside.

"Let's get this torture over with," she sighed.

Itachi removed his straw hat from the peg next to the doorway, but instead of putting it on his own head; he gave it to her to shield her from the rain before he lead her out into the downpour.

XxX

Neji woke in a sweat. "Where is she?" he shouted. As frenzied as his mind should be, he couldn't feel the raw adrenaline that panic induced, and feared for the safety of his comrade, which terrified him even more. His body was not responding at all. A cool cloth was placed on his forehead. His eyes struggled to focus on the person before him. Their words were muffled in his ears as they tried to explain what was going on. His mind raced further into panic.

Quickly he was restrained as he tried to get up. Two hands became six and he felt the sharp sting of a needle in his shoulder, though it felt as though it were trying to pierce through molasses, which brought forth another wave of panic. It was soon replaced by an involuntary calm, allowing Neji the time he needed to catch his breath. He quickly realized that he was in the hospital, surrounded by three medical shinobi, all of whom looked deeply concerned for his mental stability.

He motioned for a pen and paper, still being unable to hear anything with clarity. When it was given to him, he hastily scrawled, _Where is Tsuki?_ A medic tried to explain verbally, but Neji shook his head, cutting him off. He scribbled on the paper again, this time writing out, _I can't hear what you're saying._

Three sets of brows furrowed as one. The adjacent shinobi reached for the pen. _Tsuki is M.I.A. You've been unconscious for six days. _

Neji leaned back on his pillow. Six days he had been under the poison's influence. He had wasted six precious days, days that could have been spent tracking the men who abducted his partner. He took the pen from the medic and scooted the paper back toward him as the other two medics began to examine his ears. He wrote one final sentence before allowing them to run their tests uninterrupted. _I need to speak to Lady Hokage._

XxX

Tsuki stared deep into the loathing purple eyes adjacent to her. "You summoned me, Lord Pein?" she asked in sarcasm. Defiance rang through her words louder than thunder in a storm.

"Sit, child," he barked, clearly not in the mood for her mind games.

She ignored the chair his eyes flickered to and sat on the corner of his desk as she had with Itachi, off to his left. Once more her defiance was clear, and he knew that she would not give up her fight for her own control.

She crossed her legs, angling herself toward him. He may call her a child, but he could not deny that in her time away from him she had grown into a woman. His eyes betrayed him as he followed her skirt's retreating hemline. He found it difficult to look away.

He mentally regained his composure, even though he chanced a glance periodically. "The chair would have sufficed."

She gave a soft chuckle, a very womanly sound, but no direct response. She merely watched as her presence taunted him.

When his eyes returned to their usual focal point, the centre of her forehead, he spoke. "If you want the boy to live, then you will obey my every wish, child. His presence was a surprise to me, but a one that works to my advantage."

Her eyes narrowed at the severity of his threat. That was the one thing she feared; Neji's harm for her obedience. "You couldn't touch him," she growled in defiance. "You caught him off guard once, but mark my words, he'll be expecting you this time around."

Pein smiled sadistically, exposing his pronounced canines. "Zetsu is already on his trail, child; there is little he can do against him."

She mentally swore. Zetsu was the one member she knew little to nothing about. She couldn't prepare Neji for him, no matter how hard she could have tried. She should have expected this from a man so sinister as Pein.

With as much defiance as she could muster, she simply stated, "He is ready."

She watched his hand fly upward involuntarily as though he made to strike her, but seeing her set her emotionless façade as was instinctual when Orochimaru threatened to lay hands on her, he regained control. There would be no purpose in striking her; her will was too strong for that to even brush against her pride. However, it was too late to lower his blow, so he tried for a different tactic instead. With his hand an inch from her cheek, his eyes narrowed. He brushed his fingers against her skin softly. There was satisfaction in his eyes as he watched her wince. It was not what she was expecting. He kept his words smooth when he answered her. "No amount of preparation could brace him for what is to come, should you defy me, child." His glare intensified as he brought his fingers along her cheek down to her jaw line before he retreated. He lowered his hand, accidentally brushing against the exposed skin of her thigh. Before he could even mentally reprimand himself for the mistake, he watched her shudder again at his touch.

Though he had watched her squirm beneath his hand, her voice was still level and proud. "If that's what you have to tell yourself to get a decent night of sleep, I won't correct you," she spat.

Having calibrated the effects his touch had against her, he answered strategically, "I can think of other ways to find sleep." His gaze intensified, holding her violet eyes against his own.

"Perhaps so," she conceded, speaking as though his words had no effect on her whatsoever, "But dreams are just that; dreams." She removed herself from his desk, being very careful to keep her face free of emotion. "If that is everything, Highness," she curtsied for effect, "I must be going now."

His eyes quickly changed from smouldering to glaring as she mocked him. "Dare to leave this compound, and he will be brutally tortured. Zetsu will handle him only until Itachi arrives to take his place. Itachi has agreed to lend us the use of his Tsukiyomi to make sure you behave yourself."

Trying her best to appear undisturbed, Tsuki waved back at him nonchalantly as she walked through his door, not even bothering to close it behind her.

The confines of the city had closed in around her, as his orders were specific. She was not allowed to leave the area designated for the Akatsuki members. All together, that was a ten block radius from Pein's spire, on the western side of the city. Half of that designated area was without power, a side effect from the war Pein had waged on Hanzo for the village. There were many parts of the city that remained without power, as he had never bothered to reconnect them to the grid.

Itachi was easy enough for her to find. He had handed in his papers at the same time she had appeared before Pein. He had been given a new set to complete, thus he had returned to his dwelling to finish the task. He didn't look up or greet her when she entered his study unannounced, though he had clearly finished the paperwork. By this time, she had become furious by what was only an accusation. Pein could have very well said that only to get under her skin; Itachi might never have agreed to such a thing.

"Tell me he was lying," she growled in spite of her reasoning.

Itachi sighed with annoyance, as he did whenever she showed anger or hostility toward him. "I cannot tell you anything until I know what it was he was supposed to have lied about," he answered calmly. He was sharpening his katana, and hers lay beside it.

"Tell me you won't touch him," she pleaded. It would be an unspeakable betrayal if the only man she trusted went against her in such a way to harm her comrade, a man she had devoted her life to protecting on many occasions.

Itachi's eyebrow raised as the tone of panic in her voice raised his suspicions, both in regards to her emotional state toward the man in question, and the Hyuuga's intentions. He knew better than to confront her about it; when she left him, her opinions on the matter were clear. As it stood, with her frustration with Deidara's behaviour over the subject, he doubted if she even knew the answers to his questions. He put down the whetstone carefully, aligning it perfectly with the angles of the table before he answered, "I have agreed." He did his best to keep his voice soft and understanding when he spoke those three little words, but he watched her world shatter behind her eyes when they registered. "Calm yourself," he soothed softly. "If anyone else took the job, it would guarantee his death."

Her eyes narrowed in his direction. "It's not unknown to me that the Uchihas and the Hyuugas didn't get along, Itachi." Her voice cracked as tears threatened to overwhelm her.

His eyes narrowed. "I feel like I'm trying to talk to Sasuke," he complained. "I had always thought you were a bit more on the uptake than he was." He watched her arch an eyebrow in annoyance; apparently to him Sasuke was still a touchy subject. "Let me explain the situation to you. Yes, I will be forced to inflict damage on the boy. However, because he has set himself apart from his clan in helping you, we share a common interest. I cannot allow my distaste for his clan to interfere with the fact that other than me, he is the only one keeping you safe. He will suffer no more than he can handle, and I will even refrain from testing his limits."

She softened her stance, placated by his answer. "I suppose I couldn't ask for more from you," she accepted feebly. "You can't disobey orders, I understand that."

He looked her in the eyes, his stare penetrating deep within her. "It would be better for everyone involved if you didn't give me a reason to go after him. I understand that you can't stay here forever, but the longer you wait, the more Zetsu's guard will drop. Zetsu will be needed elsewhere if you are patient enough. The longer you stay here, the safer your comrade becomes."

Tsuki knew it was a serious and rare matter when Itachi pleaded. She was able to read between the lines of what he was saying; he wasn't concerned for Neji at all. He was trying to tell her that she would be safer if she stayed here. "There's more to this that what you're telling me, isn't there? What are you hiding form me, Itachi?"

He resumed sharpening the blade of his sword in slow, long, methodical swipes. "I am hiding nothing from you," he answered. Rather, he was hiding her from someone else.


	7. Stage 7

I have a short Author's note for you, just a precautionary warning to some of the readers who don't wish to indulge in mature content. In the final leg of this chapter, there is a scene that some of you may wish to skip, though I encourage you to at least read through the reasons of it (This shouldn't compromise your choice to not read smut, so long as you know when to say uncle). It is mildly important to the story for you to know why it's happening, at least. (I'm sorry, but it ended up being the last HALF of the chapter) Also, there was a review left of Love Me or Die complaining about the lack of said scenario, so to whomever left that particular review, if you're reading this, this is for you. Carry on.

Stage 7: Epiphany

Neji slowly regained his hearing after several hours of waiting to be released. The loss of senses was written off as a side effect of the unknown gas. They had extracted as much from his blood stream as they could to be studied, but so far, the results were daunting.

He walked the streets to the Hokage's office. He was trying to listen to the people in the streets as he passed, the birds, the children. He still wasn't fully able to hear them as he once had been; the knowledge frustrated him immensely. He wondered how the side effects were different for Tsuki.

Tsunade had yelled for him to enter when he knocked; she had been waiting for him. Before she could explode, he calmly informed her that Tsuki was taken against her will by the Akatsuki. He gave her a detailed list of their characteristics, and based off of that, had deduced that the three men were in fact Hidan, Kakuzu, and their Leader, Pein.

The anger faded from her face visibly. "You're absolutely sure of this?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought.

Neji nodded. "They had wrapped her in one of their cloaks to hide her, and then hid her appearance in a transformation jutsu."

She laced her fingers together in front of her taught lips and stared him down. "Are you able to leave?"

He knew he would be asked to find her. There was no one else for the job, really. He was the only one who knew her well enough to know what to look for, and how to look for her. If she escaped them, he alone knew where she would go. "Immediately if necessary," he informed her. "However, I do not think my departure wise. I am confident one of their numbers is following me, for purposes I cannot deduce. However, I'm sure that he would intervene should I attempt a rescue mission."

She narrowed her eyes in calculation of this new information. "That changes everything," she stated in frustration. "Make preparations to allow you to leave at a moment's notice. I want you capable of departure as soon as we know he's off your trail. Meanwhile, keep your own careful watch on him. I want as much information as you can gather." She glared out the window for a moment before whispering to herself, "Who can he be?"

Neji, taking it upon himself to answer any question she asked, simply stated, "Tsuki was not able to describe their chakra. At this point, all I can do is guess."

Tsunade sighed. "So he remains hidden, and has yet to actually make himself visible. If you didn't have the Byakugan, you wouldn't have noticed him at all. It's no matter; eventually he will provide us a clue. They can't idly watch forever." She turned to look him in the eye. "For the sake of the more naïve shinobi, we must behave as if she has gone away on a mission. I don't need anyone running off to their death to rescue her as pretence to gain access to the Akatsuki. Eventually, this man will leave. When he does, you are to be dispatched immediately. Make sure she comes home. Do not interact with the Akatsuki. Do not engage the Akatsuki" Tsunade dismissed him at once, and he left the office.

Thus far, he had to make sure Naruto didn't learn she was abducted to keep him from going after Itachi to get to Sasuke, keep tabs on this intruder, and be ready to leave at the drop of a hat. When he found her; if he found her, he would have to extract her without their immediate notice. He would have to debrief her as to how to act upon returning home. It would cause panic if the general public knew they had been so close to chaos. It wasn't going to be easy, getting to her, but this was one of the risks he had signed up for when he had taken her under his wing. Now he had a promise to keep, and would rather die than break it.

XxX

Tsuki sat in a chair in the common area. A book lay open on her lap, unread. Deidara sat across the room from her, poorly engaged in reading his own magazine. Several times a page, he would glance up and glare daggers at her. She met his eyes every time he did this, showing no emotion, and he quickly dropped his gaze. Between obvious glares, he would continually sneak glances up to see if she was still watching him. She never took her eyes from his face.

After five minutes of this, as she tested the bounds of her own patience, she unexpectedly called out to him, "What the hell is your problem?" She closed her book loudly.

"Problem?" he mocked, "Why would I have a problem, hm? You've used me like a whore and played me like a harlot, but I don't think I have a problem." His anger seethed into his words, spreading like poison across the room.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, feeling the urge to rip his hair from his tender headed scalp. "You're stupid, Dei. You're allowing yourself to become worked up because of a lie."

"Un," he conceded bitterly, "But that's all I should expect from you, isn't it?" He threw his magazine down on the table and glared at her.

She folded her arms across her chest. "What is it that I've lied about now?" she demanded, frustrated. She warned him this would happen. She's warned every man she's encountered that this is what happens when you allow your emotions to run unchecked. This is precisely why she refuses to allow herself to love someone; it clouds your judgement and turns you into a temperamental nincompoop.

"Everything," he answered. He sighed, sensing her frustration, and feeling his own anger approach the brink of violence. "Just forget about it."

She threw her book at him angrily. "You're an ass, Dei."

He glared at her intensely. "Now I'm the ass, hn?" he asked incredulously. "All I did was become your victim, and I'm the asshole? I don't think so."

She looked at him in shock. "Somehow you're the victim here?" she asked sarcastically. "You're the criminal, Dei." She rose from the armchair to make her escape from the infernal man.

Without a hitch he was by her side, pinning her to the wall. "You told me you wouldn't love,' he hissed in her ear. He was so close; his hair was brushing her bare shoulder where her tank top strap failed to shield her. "You told me it was a weakness you would not indulge in. What happened to that, hm?"

She looked him dead in the eye, glaring her message home. "It hasn't changed, Deidara. I don't love anyone, nor will I ever," she spat.

"I don't believe you," he growled. His forehead was creased with the intensity of his anger.

She shifted under him, pulling her right glove off. She had been careful for the last two years to never remove her gloves in front of Neji, for fear he would learn this secret. Shaking the leather glove out into her palm, something small and silver fell into her open hand. "If you don't believe me, Dei, then I suppose you'll want your ring back," she sighed softly.

Her change in tactic worked. Guilt spread across his face as he took from her his Akatsuki ring, which read "blue". She drove the nail home when she slid it back onto his right index finger, where it belonged. "I didn't think you'd have kept it," he informed her. "Why bother, hm?"

She replaced her glove. "You promised me, Dei, that you'd come back for it," she answered softly. "Two years is a long time to be without something so important." When she looked back into his eyes, they were no longer angry, but sad. She had successfully turned the blame to him.

He figured she thought he had forgotten about her. He couldn't have retrieved it, and he had tried. Every time he would get close to her, he would get sent away on a mission for Leader-sama. When things would quiet down, Leader-sama would get restless, and form some harebrained scheme to find her on his own. If Deidara left, surely he would have been followed. He couldn't have endangered her like that.

He snapped out of his reverie and looked her in the eye. "Forgive me," he whispered. She nodded her response silently, pressing forward to leave. He lowered his arms to allow her to pass, caressing her cheek softly before she left.

Tsuki wandered aimlessly around the compound in the rain after leaving Deidara, allowing various memories to resurface. First she thought about the incident with the hair he had left behind in her room in Otogakure, and how much trouble that had caused for her with Orochimaru. From there, her thoughts had drifted to the first time she had ever seen him, lying, in his bed sleeping off a mission. She had plucked another hair from him, causing their first argument. He had always had a morbid curiosity with her; she fascinated him for whatever reason. It had led to their disastrous exploits in each other's pleasure. She had allowed herself the freedom and satisfaction of exploring every inch of him, as he had done to her, in a sinful exchange that had lasted through the span of one of Itachi's missions. It was because of that mistake, she concluded, that he was acting the way he was now. He had marked her as his so long ago; did he really expect her to remain that way? He was the closest thing she had ever had to a stable boyfriend. "How sad is that?" she asked herself. "The closest thing I ever get to romance is with a criminal." There was something seriously wrong with her.

She had decided that her encounter with him years ago was the closest thing she ever wanted to come to love. She would not dare go any further. She was committed to leave what ever relationship she had with him behind when she had returned to Konohagakure. She couldn't go back on that now.

She felt like a caged animal, restricted to the confines of this ghost of the city. She could go anywhere within the limits of the Akatsuki's territory, but one step into a crowded street and she would be painfully and embarrassingly dragged back within the depths of the darkness. No one inhabited the homes she passed, and the shops were empty and deserted. Couple that with the perpetual rain that shrouded the city, and depression had crept into her soul. The city was mourning for her captivity, it seemed, and she longed to stretch her legs and run through the surrounding forests.

She had noticed video surveillance throughout the complex. Someone was watching her, following her as she meandered through the city. She was noting their progress when the wind shifted, or when they stepped to heavy on the concrete. The cameras, however, were not in place last time she had been there. Escape would be a lot more difficult for her.

She had gone a bit further into the darkness; power had been cut from this portion of the complex. She could see the figure lurking in the shadows when she turned the next corner, fifty meters ahead. It was clear to her that he thought he was hidden. He lacked the experience with her senses to know that he wasn't.

She made no effort to look at him as she passed, waiting until he withdrew from his hiding place to follow her until he could find another one. She stopped in the rain, and so did he. "I know you're there," she called back to him. "You're not very stealthy."

"Your vision is remarkable in the dark," Kisame answered. He stepped forward, drawing parallel to her. "Welcome back, kid."

"Why were you hiding from me?" she asked.

"Leader-sama has been watching your progress through the videos," he answered, pointing to a camera that was trained on them. "He sent me to follow you as soon as you had left the commons. He wanted me to prevent you from running, should you try to escape."

"Well, that makes my life incredibly more difficult," she stated sarcastically. "And here I thought you had come to keep me company."

Kisame chuckled. "If it makes you feel better, Leader also wanted to know what it was you were growling about."

She arched an eyebrow. "How does he know I was growling?" she asked.

Kisame laughed again. "With the look that was on your face, you couldn't be doing anything else. You looked like you were ready to kill someone."

She sighed. "Well, I guess if he's sent you to eavesdrop on me, I shouldn't rant about my plans to take over the Akatsuki and turn it into a prostitution ring."

Kisame's chuckles had turned into a barking laughter. "Don't let Pein hear you say that; he might take you seriously."

"Let him," she answered. "He'd be my top seller."

The laughter was still in Kisame's freaky eyes, though he kept his silence. He knew that Pein was listening to them as they spoke; the rain had ears. He kept the city in perpetual downpour to keep tabs on everything that was going on inside its walls.

"Why did Pein send you," she asked, suspicious.

Kisame shrugged. "With Itachi piled behind so much paperwork that he can barely find time to piss, no one else would actually keep up with you. Either they'd wander off and do their own things, or they'd try to kill you, or they'd be killed for annoying you."

She nodded, thinking of the absence of Tobi. As much as she hated to admit it, Tobi made her miss Sasori. It was a different hatred with the puppet; less intense on her end, and far less annoying on his. With Sasori, she could at least have a conversation with him from time to time. For a dead man with no body and no soul, he could kiss like a man on the verge of sexual eruption.

Kisame could see the inquiry in her eyes regarding the annoying bastard. "He's on a mission, that's all I can say." He stopped and turned to her. "You really should be getting back. Itachi is worried about you."

"I'm not going to stay by his side this time," she told Kisame. "I can't be bound to Itachi forever.

He arched a blue eyebrow at her. "Then you and Deidara have made amends?" he inquired.

"I think not," she replied, recalling her determination to stop anything that might progress from their past relationship. "I don't think I should lodge with anyone here."

He looked at her expectantly. "Are you mad?"

She bluntly answered, "No."

"Leader-sama will require your constant supervision. You couldn't get away with it the first time you were here. He knows your antics by now. That's out of the question." She was making his job so much harder than it had to be. If she had just stayed with Itachi, or even mended things with Deidara, she could be spared from the indecency of Pein's plotting.

She arched her own eyebrow. "So what?" she asked. "He can monitor me from anywhere in the city. He's got so many damn cameras around here."

Kisame's eyes narrowed. Pein didn't need the cameras to keep an eye on her. In truth, most of them didn't even work. They were just for show, a message to her that he's always watching, listening to her every word. He had to proceed with caution as to not give too much away. He had to allow her to come to her own conclusions, and point her to the right ones.

"It's not just that, kitten," Kisame added after thinking for some time.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What else could Pein want from me?"

Kisame smiled knowingly. "Think about it for a moment. What has he always wanted from you? I know you couldn't see it, because it seemed that they were acting of their own accord, but trust me, someone had orders to baby sit you. It's a whole lot easier if you're willing."

She thought for several minutes, drawing connections where there weren't any before. "He wants me to stay attached to a member," she stated, breaking the silence. "Does he really think I'll stay with Itachi forever?"

Kisame forced a laugh. "He knows better than to point you to Itachi. Why do you think he's been so busy since you've been here? When it comes down to choosing between you and Pein, Leader-sama knows where Itachi's loyalties lie."

She continued thinking, pressing her brains for an answer. "Deidara can't be his answer; he's been so angry at me the last few days. If anything, I bet Pein planted that hatred in Deidara's brain himself. That, or Hidan did." She trailed off at her final realization. Who did Pein always send to intercept her? There was only ever one man she was supposed to be attached to. The image of Hidan lounging naked, fresh from a shower, on her bed in Otogakure flooded into her mind. "That's just sick," she stated angrily. She audibly gagged, thinking of the crimes Hidan had committed against her. The man had slaughtered her entire family in front of her eyes! How could Pein expect her to become emotionally attached to that monster? Not only that, but to accept her own godfather as a lover? He was a man who had spent his youth wooing her mother and was now being sent to woo his past lover's daughter, a lover he had killed in cold blood, just to prove he could.

"That's just disturbing," she reiterated.

Kisame nodded in agreement. "Highly; this is probably why Hidan has agreed. Itachi doesn't even know about it."

She arched an eyebrow at him in suspicion. "If Itachi doesn't even know, why do you?"

He shrugged again. "Kakuzu warned me about it. He said someone decent should know, and now so do you. You need to watch your back, kid." With that, Kisame left her to her own thoughts, leaping away into the downpour.

_ Crazy ass holes, _she silently sulked. She hastily began moving toward the main drag of their compound. The only sound in the night was the sound of rain hitting the metal of the city around her. The sound only amplified her thoughts. She watched as Konan meandered from another street onto the one Tsuki's feet were devouring, not even bothering to look up at the girl. _Hidan seducing me would be just as futile as me attempting to seduce Pein. _She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks as the epiphany overwhelmed her.

Darkness had surrounded her again, the rain echoed in her ears louder than it had before. She couldn't think of sleeping. She instinctively turned to find Itachi, forming a plan in her mind in response to the horrible news Kisame had delivered to her. She wouldn't tell Itachi; no, she would allow Pein's plan to play out before him. She wanted to see it in his eyes when he watched his pawn fail. It would make victory sweeter when he finally realized what she was plotting in return. You couldn't use someone else's body against them in war, Gaara had taught her that, but you could certainly use your own to get what you wanted. Leader-sama had already unknowingly set the wheels in motion. Now it was her turn to use his weapon against him.

XxX

Itachi was surprised to see Tsuki when she walked in so late, soaked from head to foot from the rain. She immediately made for the bathroom, and it wasn't long before he had heard the shower running. Of course she would want to wash away the stress of the day and the cold of the rain. After the conversation he just had, he'd been half tempted to beat her to it.

Kisame had just left not two minutes prior to Tsuki's arrival. Itachi had listened intently to what his partner had to say, and was appalled by what he had heard. Kisame had told him that Tsuki had gotten the same warning from him, though he had to be considerably more careful in how that message was delivered. She had arrived at the correct conclusion a lot faster than Kisame had imagined, and in his eyes, had taken the news fairly well. Nothing had been broken, at least.

Itachi assured Kisame that Tsuki would not take this lying down, and though Kisame laughed at his choice of words, Itachi knew she would already have her own plan forming to counter strike. That could be just as dangerous as her allowing Hidan to get to her. He had to do something to stop this madness, something that would change her forever. It would hurt her, in the end, he knew it, but it was also the only way to keep her from being killed.

He shrugged off his cloak as he thought, hanging it up on its allotted peg in his closet before pulling the elastic out of his hair to allow it to cascade around his shoulders. Tsuki would be in the shower for at least another twenty minutes. He pulled his tee shirt over his head and threw it into his laundry basket. After donning a fresh pair of pants for sleeping in, he wandered into the kitchen. It didn't take him long to get reacquainted with his old libations again. Sweet sake relaxed his mind, and within the second shot, he could feel his tension loosen; by the fourth, a familiar warmth lie within his belly and his mind buzzed with mild intoxication.

He heard the shower being shut off. At the rate he was drinking, he would be completely drunk within another twenty minutes. As much as he wanted to continue drinking the sake, he knew better. He would need his self control later. Stowing away the porcelain bottle, he instead reached for a bottle of chilled plum wine. He had poured a glass, and gotten halfway through it when a shower moist Tsuki emerged.

She eyed the glass in his hand suspiciously. "You know, it's bad luck to drink alone," she pointed out. She eyed him carefully, noting his shirtless appearance and his hair had been let loose to cascade around him, concealing him behind an ebony curtain.

Either due to the amount of alcohol that was coursing through his system, or due to his intentions, Itachi was unable to help noticing Tsuki's lack of bindings. Her loose fitted tank top was darted with two taught peaks at the tips of her ample breasts. "I would suppose that would call for another glass," he sighed. There wasn't even a hint of a slur in his voice. He diverted his attention away from her to the bottle on the counter, setting down his glass to pour another. Once it was safe in her hands, he topped off his own drink and continued through it.

She watched him as she sipped the pale liquid. "How much have you had to drink, Itachi?" she asked. She could see the glaze in his eyes already, though his voice and movements were perfectly stable.

"Not nearly enough," he answered, allowing his eyes to look at her again. Though his vision had become blurred over the years, it was still a sight worth seeing. Water dripped from her hair, making her shirt wet where it touched her shoulders and breasts. This would account for the tension in her nipples, as Itachi preferred to keep his home a little bit cooler than most. Her bottom half was barely concealed by black shorts that clung to her curves and stopped just a few teasing inches away from her core. He took another sip from the wine, feeling a familiar tension in his waistband.

She watched him as he watched her before she emptied her glass. "Are we celebrating something?" she asked, unsure of why Itachi had suddenly begun to intoxicate himself.

He shook his head with a soft smile. "Can't I indulge myself in a pleasure once in a while?" he asked. He automatically refilled her glass before she even had the chance to ask.

She had never seen him give in to any sort of temptation before; it was understandable for her to think he was above such things. It was true that she had nights where she was tempted to pull out the sake, and there were nights when she had. "Do we at least have something to drink to?" she inquired.

He regarded the question for the slightest of moments. "I drink to your health," he answered. He took another sip, finalizing his statement. She followed suit, only out of respect. She knew that her health was not something Itachi would normally drink to.

Itachi watched her body relax as she finished her second glass. She didn't hold a question in her eyes when he automatically refilled it. By the bottom of her third, she had acquired a pink blush at her cheeks and giggled at the smallest things. Her lack of tolerance amused him.

Now he could cut back on his intake to where she was out drinking him two glasses to one, though by her fifth glass, it was clear that she was done. He took the half empty glass from her hands and drained it for her, ignoring her pout at the lack of libation. "I think you have had more than enough," he told her. He could feel the heaviness of his words, and wondered if he hadn't had a glass too many. There wasn't even a full drink left in the bottle.

She took a step toward it, clearly intending to finish it off, but she wobbled on her feet and fell into his arms. She looked up at him, the pale blush turning a deep red. "I think you're right," she agreed with a giggle. "I am clearly quite drunk." She straightened up in his arms, but made no efforts to remover herself from them.

Her wet hair was cold against the exposed skin of his chest, causing his nipples to harden in response. He held her against him, feeling the heat of her body rise to meet him. Her tipsiness amused him greatly, and knew he wasn't the only one who felt the warmth of the alcohol pooling around their insides. She would be just as affected as he was, if not more. She was by far more sexually active than he was.

Just as he had finished that thought, he felt her hand on his chest. She turned her head to look up at him with clouded eyes, her lips parted, a blush still set on her cheeks. Her fingers ran down his muscle hardened abdomen, causing them to ripple and flex under her touch. He laced his fingers through her hair and gently tightened his grip on her, pulling her slowly to him. She had plenty of time to say no, but she didn't. Instead her eyes closed just before his lips met hers, pushing her lips further apart as his tongue brushed against her lower lip, inviting her to play.

She was every bit as responsive as he expected her to be. She wrapped her arms about his neck and locked her fingers in his hair, pressing her body closer to him. He didn't fail to notice her pressing against his swollen manhood, and bet that she didn't miss it, either. Her tongue sparred with his, making him throb against her taught stomach. He could taste the tart wine on her breath and savoured the flavour of her. He licked and suckled her lower lip, causing her to whimper against him in want. That small little noise was all it took to nearly undo his self control, causing him to want to take her there in his kitchen.

Instead he slowly pulled away from her, looking into her lust filled eyes, satisfied with the need he had created within her. He could see the protest in her features, the way her mouth turned down at the corners and the pleading in her eyes. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, but before he gave into her desires; he would make her voice them. He would allow his pride the satisfaction of making her beg for him. This time, she would be irrevocably his, and Hidan and any other threat to his claim could go wedge themselves between a rock and a hard place.

He took her hand in his to lead her away from the open kitchen, but through a combination of drunkenness and lust, she managed to stumble forward again, causing him to catch her. Impatient with her lack of equilibrium, he simply picked her up and carried her into his bedroom, where he dropped her onto his bed.

The act caused her shirt to ride up her stomach, causing him to think in a partially drunken stupor of her belly round with his seed, giving him an heir to the Uchiha name. He knew better than to allow it. He couldn't guarantee her nine months of his life, let alone the years it would take to help her raise a child. Departing from those fantasies, he looked her in the eyes once more and all thoughts were erased from his mind save for the movement of her lips beneath his. Tonight she was his to devour, and tonight he would teach her what it meant to make love.

His hands found themselves on the soft skin of her knees and slowly inching upward along the insides of her thighs. Her breath caught in her throat when he was a hair's breadth away from her womanhood. He stopped there, smirking for a moment into their kiss before moving his hands along her hips and up the skin of her stomach. He came to the risen hem of her shirt and pushed under it, feeling her arch under his touch. The fabric caught on his wrist and was gently pushed upward until he had exposed both of her breasts. He broke their kiss to gaze upon them, enjoying the knowledge that this sight was his to behold.

Watching her for a reaction, he took the weight of one in his hand, allowing it to fill his palm with its softness and warmth. He could feel her nipple pressing against him, almost begging for more immediate attention. He gently squeezed the soft mound, causing her to gasp softly in response. This greatly pleased him.

With his other hand, he scooped up the other breast and brought his mouth close to the tense, dusky peak, his hair tickling the skin around her breasts softly. His determination to make her beg for his affections blazed inside his mind. His lips parted, though he only allowed her to feel his hot breath against her skin; he knew the sensation would be almost maddening.

She responded to him almost instantaneously in a number of ways. Her knees moved together under him, clenching together in an instinctual reaction of desire. Her back arched even higher, nearly forcing his lips to touch her sensitive skin. A throaty gasp escaped her lips; again, nearly causing his undoing. He chastised himself to be patient. It would pay off, he knew it would.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before he heard the carnal pleas emerge from her as she begged for him to caress her more. Her voice was thick with lust and intoxication, which only enhanced the effect it had on his groin. He quickly moved to gratify her wishes, bringing his tongue to taste her nipple's peak before his entire mouth enclosed over it, softly suckling and nipping on her in the most intimate way. Her fingers once more threaded through his hair, locking him to her body. She whimpered in protest when he abandoned the administrations.

With his lips covering hers once more, he allowed his hands to continue what he had started with his mouth. He softly pinched and rolled the bud between his finger and thumb, nearly to the point of pain. He relaxed his grip on the tight nipple and took the entire breast into his hand and kneaded it gently. She moaned softly, beautifully into his mouth. He teased her tongue to meet his, and when it did, he softly sucked on it before releasing her from the kiss.

He moved to her ear, where he softly whispered sweet nothings to her, allowing her to know how long he had waited to hear her passion's whimpers, and how greatly her reactions pleased him. He gently suckled her earlobe for a moment before scattering kisses down her neck. He sat upright, gazing at her, deciding it was time for her shirt to be completely removed. It was lifted over her shoulders and tossed to the floor without further notice.

He continued kissing down her neck to the hollow of her throat, where he dipped his tongue to tease her. From there, he kissed down the valley between her breasts, and once more took the tip of one of her nipples between his lips. His hand never stopped teasing her other breast, keeping her nipple standing proud. With both breasts under assault, her soft and throaty gasps filled his bedroom with their sweet symphony of passion.

Satisfied that he had indeed given rise to her need far more than probably was necessary, he silently moved his hands back to her knees and gently pushed them apart, forcing her to unlock them in their clench to put pressure where she needed it the most. He could smell her delicious wetness between her warm thighs, evidence of her need of him. He smiled to himself, knowing he was the sole cause of her desire, and would be the only one to satisfy it.

He rose back to her chest, leaving a kiss on each of her nipples before continuing his scattering of kisses, adding soft bites and sucking across her abdomen, raising little pink patches against her pale skin. She often shied away from his touch, a reaction to his feather light caresses. When he made to lift his lips from her skin, her hand went straight for his hair, keeping him from leaving her for too long.

When his lips reached the waistband of her shorts, he hesitated. He would not remove the article until she asked him to. Instead, with a single finger, he caressed her through the fabric. She arched against his touch, moaning loader than she had before. She had completely soaked the fabric through, and he knew that there was nothing more than this thin layer standing between him and her tight cavern of pleasure.

He could feel that she was indeed tight, and made note to be careful with her. He wondered vaguely how long it had been since she had released herself fully in the arms of a lover. It did not matter to him; he would be the only lover she would have a mind for after tonight. The knowledge pained him, but made him proud as he stroked and caressed her most delicate core.

His finger brushed against her pleasurable pearl and she all but screamed out for him. He continued to do so, again and again until she gripped his bed sheets and whimpered in frustrated pleasure, her back completely arched off the mattress. He lowered his focus again to her entrance, thus beginning a patterned continuance of torture. He had set himself to his motions; he would not remove her shorts until she begged for more from him.

It wasn't until she was shuddering from pleasure and on the verge of her own climax that he let up on his assault on her womanhood. She had not uttered a word, and he was beginning to feel frustrated from his own impatience. He could not stand for his own tension to be ignored much longer. He needed to feel the moist confines of her, to fill every inch of her passage before the pain set in. As it was, his pants were unbearably tight. Seeking to relieve some of the pressure from his throbbing manhood, he undid his button and partially unzipped his pants. The motion did not go unnoticed by Tsuki.

She pushed him down on the bed and straddled him, setting her full weight upon his shaft, though they both still had their pants to keep them apart. The pressure against him was a relief, especially as she began to move her hips against him. The grinding was a pleasurable torture; a taste of his own medicine. He was satisfied by her will to please him, and thankful that she wasn't a virgin to be taught. He could lay back and drink from the well of her experience as she intended for him to do.

He brought himself up, propping himself on his left elbow as he snaked his right hand behind her neck to bring her lips to his once more. He could feel her uneven breathing as she pushed herself further into her own desire while fuelling his own along with it. The smell of her heat surrounded him, bringing with it a need to shatter her desire with a climax so intense, it would keep her from walking.

He lowered his hand to her thigh, where he felt her muscles begin to quiver. She would bring herself to release if he didn't stop her soon. He would not allow her to finish before he had his way with her. He wanted her to feel the pleasures he could bring.

He pushed her back down on the mattress and began to rub her again, albeit slowly, calming her over stimulated womanhood down while still keeping her hot with want. He could see the begging in her eyes, the unspoken wants within her mind. It was not enough for him. He needed to hear her pleas. She had to confront her want for him head on and acknowledge it, voicing it not only for him to hear, but for her own ears as well. He didn't care if the entire compound could hear her cries; in fact, the more that could, the better.

Growing unsatisfied with her lack of verbalization, Itachi pressed not just one finger at her entrance, but two, and continued his pressure until he had nearly buried an entire knuckle from both fingers inside her through the fabric. Her breathless moan was enough to make his entire shaft throb. He continued, minutely increasing his speed with every cry she made until he was forcibly rocking her body, and her wordless cries turned into her shouting his name. Finally, in her exasperated cry, she whispered to him, the plea imbedded in her voice, "Itachi, please; stop this madness. I can't take anymore of your teasing."

He pulled his hands away from her tightness before he slid them up and down her entire torso, stopping momentarily to remind her of his enjoyment of her breasts before grasping her with both of his hands and pulling her into a deep kiss. Until now, he had been holding back on his own passionate expressions as he stoked the flames within her body and soul. Now, he allowed the tender possessiveness to be known through the movements of his lips, certain that she had never before been kissed in such a way. He wanted each movement to tell her; no, confirm to her that he had indeed loved her since the day she had walked back into his life. That he had loved her, she should have always known.

She responded to his change in attitude in a satisfying way; he had expected her to demand the frenzied pace he had set for her prior. She returned his softness, his tender caresses. She ran her hands through his hair, down his neck, across his shoulders, and to his elbows where they rested, keeping his hold on her steady. When he moved his own hand from her hair to the small of her back, bringing her closer to him, she moved her hand to his chest, where it rose to the base of his neck.

Keeping her mouth occupied, his hand wandered back downward to her nipple for a teasing second, gripping the bud until it had regained its alert stance before continuing down. He reached her shorts once more, and she audibly gasped in anticipation when she felt him continue to slide along her skin within their confines. It satisfied him to know that she kept herself clean shaven. He continued to stroke her core until his finger was coated with her sweet nectar. She whimpered and gasped with every touch until he slid two of his digits inside of her. She arched off the bed and moaned into his kiss once more, her nails digging into his skin as her innermost walls clenched around him. She was very wet and hotter than a blazing sun. He could only imagine the pleasure the heat would bring to his aching member. Patience, he reminded himself. It would not serve him well to hurt her in his haste. She had to be prepared for him; otherwise this entire campaign would have been wasted. He slid another finger inside of her for good measure.

Once she had lowered herself back onto his mattress, he removed himself from her. He lifted two of his fingers to his lips and sucked her essence from them, leaving his index finger still coated. He brought it to her kiss swollen mouth, and she obliged his wishes by seductively licking his finger clean, finishing it with a deep throated sucking. Her lips and tongue had talent; he could tell by that one simple gesture. If she allowed for it, he would test it another time.

When she released his hand, he worked on removing her shorts. She aided him by lifting her hips off the bed and bending her knees when he needed her to. She lay exposed before him, completely naked for his eyes to devour, which he did while he rose to rid himself of his own pants. Her eyes followed his every movement, watching his pants fall to the floor, revealing him to her. He watched her evaluate his size and was satisfied when she smirked at him wickedly.

He moved to cover her with his naked body, bringing himself to kiss her once more. He stroked her moist entrance with the tip of his shaft, teasing himself with her heat as much as he teased her with his pressure. Oh, how badly he wanted to plunge within her depths! He had tasted his forbidden fruit, and now had the desire to completely devour it. His throbbing manhood would have to wait.

He brought himself down upon her core, bringing her legs over his shoulders as he did so to give himself a greater access to her sweetness. He watched her blush deepen as she realized what it was he was about to do; he loved it. He kissed her exposed clitoris softly, sliding his tongue between his lips to brush against the tender flesh of her pleasure. She arched up in response, just as he knew she would, and he took advantage of the motion to plunge his tongue deep inside her. He licked upward as she settled back into the bed, causing her to arch again to meet him. He sucked the small pearl again before repeating the process once more. When she moaned with his second intimate kiss, he changed tactics and circled her entrance with his tongue, giving her a small reprieve from the madness of her wonton need.

He continued on until he had drank his fill of her, leaving her panting before him as she gripped his shoulders to keep from going over the brink of climax. Never before had Itachi wanted to please a woman like he had Tsuki. When he rose up from her moist heat, he was ready to give her what she wanted most.

He lined himself up with her entrance once more, looking her in the eyes before he continued. With his tip barely inside of her, he stopped, but only for a moment. He would still give her the opportunity to say no.

She looked at him with devoted lust in her eyes. "Itachi, don't stop," she begged, her walls contracting around him. "I need to feel you."

He slowly began to move within her, sheathing himself entirely, giving himself over to the carnal pleasure he had denied himself for so long. Nothing gave him more pleasure, and nothing, he was sure, would bring him more guilt by the end of it, than to take what had been rightfully his for the last three years.

When he was buried up to the hilt within her, he stopped to allow her time to adjust to the intrusion. He brought his lips to hers, allowing her to wrap her arms around him to press her body against his chest as he did so. Supporting himself over her with one arm, he wrapped the other around her to keep her pressed to him closely as he kissed her. He softly bit down on her lip, which caused her to clench around his shaft. In that moment, he demanded friction lest he go mad.

He pressed her back down to his bed softly and began to rock into her heat slowly. She contracted and tensed around him in the most pleasurable way a woman could, and the soft, throaty sounds she made told him that she enjoyed it. He increased his speed in slow increments, noticing each time she got just a little louder. His eyes met hers, seeing the ecstasy in her eyes as she looked back into his. His heart leapt in that moment and he knew that they would never be closer in body and spirit as they were now.

He pressed deeper inside of her, hearing her shout his name with pleasure and need as she closed her eyes in bliss. He captured her lips in a kiss without breaking his rhythm. She kissed him back with passion, unable to stop herself from crying out as he thrust against the tightly coiled bundle of nerves. He drank her moans like a man dying of thirst, relishing the fact that he was their sole cause.

He had gathered enough force to fear hurting her when he finally slowed down. He could no longer distinguish if her shouting out was with pleasure or pain, and with nearly every thrust he had found the back of her, nearly pushing into her womb. Upon relinquishing his momentum, he could feel the burning in his abdomen.

He unsheathed himself from her and sat beside her quivering body, much to her protest. He bent down to kiss her once more, pulling her to his lap as he did so. She obeyed his silent requests, straddling him as he guided her to the tip of his manhood, which stood waiting for her, proud and tall. When he was once more deep within her, she wrapped her legs around his waist, locking him against her. His hands found the curve of her bottom; he supported her weight in their grasp.

They began to move as one; him rising up to meet her, her crashing down to meet him. Her fingers found his hair once more, gently pulling as she gripped him. She buried her face in his neck, her carnal sounds to be muffled by the curtain that was made from their hair. He bucked against her in a particularly rough thrust, causing her to bite down on his flesh. The action sent shivers down his spine and a surge of pleasure to his groin as he sped up their movements, bringing him close to the edge.

She scratched down his back as he moved them, giving him complete control of their pace once more, groaning his name in his ear. He returned the favour, drawing faint red lines up her abdomen and between the valley of her breasts as he brought her closer to her release. His own fingers found her hair, and he pulled until she had thrown her head back and her entire throat was exposed to him.

He kept her in that position as he continued to move her in rhythm to his thrusting. He took a moment to appreciate the motion of her breasts, and captured one in his free hand as his lips explored her exposed throat. Her walls tightened around him once more, this time with considerable force, and he knew in a moment their love making would be over.

He released her completely to push her back down on the bed without breaking their intimate embrace. His rhythm was hardly altered as he continued to press into her, increasing his speed as her shouts turned into screams of orgasm. Her walls contracted erratically around him, triggering his own release within her. He rode out the waves of his orgasm, and when he was done, continued to decrease his speed until she had quieted her sounds until there was nothing to hear but their mutual heavy breathing.

Before withdrawing from her, he left her a quick kiss on the lips. He then released himself from her confines and moved to lie beside her, pushing her to her side to lay facing away from him. Before he could lose his erection, he pressed back inside of her, in response to the motion she moaned in mixed pleasure and protest, claiming to be much too sensitive to continue though her voice sounded as though she wanted nothing more to spend the entire night in the throws of passion.

He kissed her ear. "Don't worry; I'm spent for the night as well," he assured her. He continued to ease himself back inside of her while pulling her body to him, allowing their intimate embrace to continue. When he was fully sheathed once more, he stopped all motion, merely content just to fill her warm cavity with his flesh.


	8. Stage 8

Stage 8: A Game of Cat and Mouse

Tsuki made it back to the common area with a slight hangover and a pink tinge to her cheeks. In one hand she clutched Itachi's finished paperwork from last night. Hidan and Kakuzu sat in one corner of the great waiting area, arguing about something she didn't catch. They watched Tsuki come in, and a smile was instantly set on Hidan's face. She only looked away, embarrassed about her constant blush.

"Welcome home, bitch," Hidan growled in the familiar way of greeting, his Cheshire cat grin widening.

She looked directly at Kakuzu, the blush receding slightly. "Thank you for the warning."

Hidan glared at her angrily. "Fine; just ignore me then, skank."

Kakuzu blinked once in annoyance and frustration, setting aside his medical journal on the table beside him. "You are so demanding, Hidan," he sighed.

"Stay out of shit, ass hole. You stink." Hidan directed his taunts back to Tsuki. "Heads up for what, whore?"

She blushed harder, gave him the middle finger and kept walking. She could hear Hidan's heavy footfalls as he followed her through the building. She climbed several sets of stairs as he followed her, calling out to her in various derogative ways to stop being a coward and face him. She could feel her annoyance bubbling toward the surface of her calm demeanour. She stopped in her tracks with her hand on the door that separated her from Pein's apartments, allowing him time to catch up before she turned around to face him. She prepared for the worst of confrontations and steeled her emotions against him, though she was unable to control the hint of blush that had plagued her since the morning prior. "Can I help you, Hidan?"

XxX

Neji walked through the market division of Konohagakure, making his way to his favourite tea parlour that he used to frequent with Tsuki. The owner seated him in his usual spot in the back corner behind the rice paper screen, but she only placed a setting for one. The last few days were all she needed to know that Tsuki wasn't among them. The loneliness was beginning to wear on Neji, as all he had for company was his old team and his perpetual, hidden companion.

Zetsu had settled into the wall against which Neji was seated. His presence was less alarming now than it was in the first few days. Neji felt confident that if he were to be attacked, it would have been long ago. He now slept through the nights, uneasily, but he still slept. He would not sleep soundly again until his companion was safe at home.

Neji brewed his mint herbal blend the server had provided him. They had stopped asking for his order long ago, long before Tsuki had come into his life. In the last four years, it hadn't changed. In the next four years, it would probably still be the same.

It wasn't long before he noticed the arrival of an unusual client. He had doubted if he had ever seen him there before. His eyes caught those of Andoku, and the man immediately made for Neji's table. He stiffened at his approach; Neji didn't like Andoku. He didn't like his countenance, and he certainly didn't like the way Tsuki looked at him. When the medical Nin got close enough, Neji spoke. "In case you haven't been let in on the fact, Tsuki isn't here." He attempted to sound bored, even though his heart sank at his words.

Andoku's eyebrow rose into his hairline. "Miss Dentsu's absence has brought peace to my lab that hasn't been there in quite some time. I'm quite aware that she has departed. The information is for you, Hyuuga." The menacing glint in his green eyes told Neji that he knew that she didn't leave on free will. It was an unjust insult to her character.

Allowing himself to ignore the jab at his partner's credibility; that was a battle for another day, Neji was sure, he merely answered, "I do not see how any information you have is relevant to me."

Andoku made himself comfortable in Tsuki's normal spot, and was brought another kettle, which brewed a black tea. Apparently he was a frequent customer here. Neji almost questioned his choice of venue. Andoku then took from his person two scrolls one red the other was blue.

Neji knew from experience that blue scrolls were medical scrolls. "Is this the analysis of the unknown gas?" he asked, unsure of why he was being presented medical information of any kind.

Andoku chuckled at his ignorance. "These are the results of Tsuki's medical research. She listed you as an emergence recipient in the event that she was unable to be presented the information. Tsunade authorized their release to you. The content of this scroll is highly confident. Be sure the information does not fall into the wrong hands."

Neji accepted the blue scroll, but knew Andoku was not finished yet. "And what's the purpose of the red scroll?" he inquired. "Why didn't Tsunade summon me to release the results?"

The glint returned to Andoku's eyes. "Tsunade normally would have presented you with both scrolls, but is currently out of office. The red scroll is some intelligence you may find pertinent to your current assignment."

Neji wanted to punch Andoku for saying that aloud, or reveal his shadow. The Akatsuki would be beside themselves with glee if they knew Tsunade wasn't in the village. Either the man before him was very thick, or a worthless traitor. Neji forced himself to remain calm. "Thank you; I'll make sure Tsuki receives her scroll as soon as she comes home." He allowed the word "Home," to linger between them, driving in the point that Tsuki belonged here, with him.

Andoku drained the last dregs of his cup in silence before he left Neji alone with his thoughts.

XxX

Tsuki gripped Itachi's paperwork tightly, the light blush still painted on her cheeks. She had awoken that morning tightly wrapped in Itachi's arms, her head on his shoulders, as per norm. It took her a moment to realize that she was entangled around him, her right leg over his, her hand still in his hair; he had left it down. That was not normal. It was then that she had noticed the after effects of alcohol in her system and the slight headache that had made its home in her brain.

She had struggled to remember why he had left it down for the night, and was interrupted by his shifting beneath her. His arms drew her closer to his body as he turned on his side to face her. Upon feeling a blazing heat between her thighs that did not originate from her own body and feeling the satin finish of his skin against hers she had finally registered just how nude they both were.

She then silently endured an emotional rollercoaster as she lay in his arms. The entirety of the previous night's endeavours crashed down upon her like the waves of a furious ocean against the shore. No man had made her beg before; not one of them could break her pride. Itachi didn't even demand it from her, the way a few of them had tried. She had wanted him of her own accord; acted out of her own impatience.

The very realization brought a blush to her face. She thought that perhaps Itachi would have drunk too much and wouldn't remember a thing. She tried to inch away from him, but only succeeded in waking him from his slumber.

He secured her against him gently. "Good morning," he said, sleep still in his voice, before locking her lips in a tender kiss. That simple gesture was enough to remind her body of the seduction she endured from him last night, and warmth erupted from her belly that she couldn't conceal. A smile spread across her lips in satisfaction as he watched her blush deepen. She felt him growing against her, and she started to ache with yearning.

Tsuki's reverie stopped there as she found herself face to face with the door leading into Pein's dwellings. Clutching the paperwork she knocked three times. She waited a brief moment and was met with silence. She rolled her eyes and pushed the door open.

Upon entering the apartment, he was no where to be found. Tsuki's exasperation deepened, partially due to the man she was looking for, and partially because of the man she had just left. The reddening flared back to life, deeper than it had been all day in anticipation of the reaction of Pein. He would no doubt take advantage of her sign of weakness. She hated her girlish reactions to Itachi. She had never been so consumed by a man before.

She searched each room as she proceeded down the hall; the living room kitchen, small dining area, bathroom, and master bedroom were all empty. She tried the second to last door and found his study. He was seated at his desk, at which he was filing away paperwork. When his hands were empty he looked up at her, an annoyed glare set into his eyes. "Do you mind?" he asked harshly.

"I knocked," she growled in response, defending her reasons for the intrusion.

He leaned back in his chair and regarded her for a moment. His eyes lingered on her cheeks, registering her blush, which hadn't receded as much as Tsuki would have hoped. He smirked at her an all knowing smile. "I must have been lost in thought," he replied with a dash of mischief.

"Itachi sent me with his completed paperwork," she informed him. She deliberately dropped the forms on top of the papers he had left to file.

Pein didn't allow his surprise to show. Itachi was not the cause he would have guessed, but the stake before him was incomplete. Itachi had called it quits early, it seemed, but had not called it a night. "So he has" Pein answered tentatively. He allowed his smirk to broaden. "I hope he is well."

Tsuki's cheeks became all the redder and Pein knew that Itachi was feeling very well indeed. He chuckled softly at her reaction. After three years, Itachi had finally made a physical claim on the girl. He had thought, with Deidara's bold encroachment on his territory, Itachi would have made his mark sooner. Pein wandered what it was that made Itachi react; it was uncharacteristic of him to allow his work to suffer for any reason.

Pein's eyes readjusted when Tsuki moved to sit across from him in the chair to his right. He made a mental note of the oddity; most sat to his left, which was their right. He watched her cross one leg over the other, causing her skirt to retreat up her thigh several inches. He thought to himself that a lesser man would have taken her long ago.

He looked up at her again. "Was there something else you wanted, child?"

Her eyes held his in what resembled a challenge, or a threat, he wasn't sure. "Hidan wasn't your best choice," she informed him.

His eyes narrowed in understanding. So that was the reason Itachi reacted, and why she was blushing. If Itachi knew, he wouldn't stop at having her body; oh no, he was also demanding her heart to keep her willingly by his side. Pein wasn't sure how Itachi was planning to embark on that journey; Tsuki was a cold woman. Yet she bore the evidence that Itachi was winning the battle against her stone cold heart; a woman such as she would never blush at a sexual encounter.

As he drew his conclusions, Pein kept his cards close to his cloak, so to speak. With a puzzled expression, he answered her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She was the one who smirked at him now. "I think you do," she answered, almost teasingly. "You couldn't have picked a worse candidate; that man hates everyone who breathes, including me. He doesn't stand a chance."

"You're delusional," he answered, bemused.

She intensified her gaze. "You're a terrible liar," she stated. "Just admit it."

He looked her in the eyes. "Hidan gets pleasure from causing people pain," he explained. "There is more than one way to hurt someone; you don't always need a blade." He took Itachi's papers from the surface of his desk and filed them away. When he returned his gaze to her, she was watching him intently. "You're staring at me, child. Is there something else I can help you with?"

She blinked once before stating flatly, "You bite your lip piercing when you're in deep thought."

He arched his eyebrow, unaware of having just done what she claimed he had. "What's your point?" he asked. Biting his lip was a known tell of his.

She smirked again. "Most shinobi have learned to control their ticks," she answered. "It would seem that your guard is dropping."

He chuckled lightly. It was true, he had let his guard down, but he doubted that he needed to be poised for attack with her in the room. She was not foolish enough to believe she stood a chance against him in a battle. "I don't know what you're playing at, but know that I don't play games." He finished clearing the papers that were scattered across his desk into neat little piles.

"I call bull shit," she spat. "Your games haven't stopped since you brought me here the first time. They probably go back father than that."

He removed himself from his desk to place another file in an adjacent cabinet. When he returned, he sat on the edge of his desk, close enough to her to reach across and touch her. He calmly stroked her jaw line with a single finger watching her as she shuddered from his touch. "You're not as calm as your façade shows you to be, are you?" he chided softly. "Your insolence will get you killed if you're not careful. Don't be foolish enough to forget that, pet."

"You won't kill me," she protested. "You need me alive. I'm your only hope to construct your weapon from the tailed beasts."

He smirked as he continued the gentle caress of her face. "One of your lovers has told you too much, it seems."

"Many of your men are far more loyal to me than they are to you," she spat, pulling away from him. "If you lay a hand on me, they'll kill you."

He captured her chin in a sturdy hold by one hand. "They could never touch me," he answered softly. "You over estimate them, and insult me." He had removed his hand from her. "That would be a deadly mistake, I assure you."

He watched as she visibly cringed from his words, a tingle of fear ran down her spine. "You really believe that you're a god, don't you?" Her voice held its razors edge against him.

He smirked at her. "I am a visionary among men," he answered. "I have plans for this world and everyone in it."

"Those plans involve me," she reminded him. "I am of more use to you alive than I am dead and you know it."

He looked down his nose at her. "No one person is irreplaceable to me."

She rolled her eyes. "That much is obvious. You replaced Orochimaru and Sasori rather easily; but who will you find to replace me?"

He caressed her cheek once more and caught a stray tendril of her maroon hair between his fingers. "You are not so invaluable to me, child. There are many others that can fulfil the duty assigned to you. You were selected only for convenience." He released the strand and sat up straight again. "Your arrogance is a vice that requires correction."

She chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Go ahead and try; not even Orochimaru could beat it out of me."

Pein smiled softly in response. "He only nurtured your vanity. He put you on a pedestal, keeping you separate and above your peers." He stared into her violet eyes with contempt, striking his words home. "He likes his women strong."

Tsuki looked horrified at his words. "I'd rather be strong and arrogant than mousy and obedient," she hissed. "That poor woman is wrapped so tightly around your finger, she's afraid to even defend her claim on you lest you be angered. I see the loathing in her eyes when she looks at me."

Pein waved his hand, dismissing the accusation. "There is nothing between us. She understands that."

Tsuki smiled, calling his bluff. "Then if she walked in now and saw you caressing me, she wouldn't be fazed?" Her words came out as smooth as a purr.

"She wouldn't have reasons to object," he stated, "As you would agree, there is nothing between us, either."

He had pinpointed her frustration with ease. He allowed his thumb to trace from her hairline to her jaw and over her lips, which were parted to form a protest. To him, those lips were delicate and soft, but venomous. He continued to caress them, knowing she was tempted to bite him. He would love to feel the pain she would cause, to relish in the passion of her frustration and fury.

He could see the battle waging behind her eyes; to harm him and face his wrath, or allow him to continue his violations and endure what ever else he had in store for her. He could see which side was winning, and just as she bared her teeth, he withdrew from her. "You are dismissed," he stated softly. "You are to stick to the compound, as previously ordered.

She rose to her feet immediately, not wanting to spend another moment in his company. He watched her retreat out his door, chuckling to himself all the while.

So she knew about Hidan. That was rather unexpected, but still worked in his favour, as did her motions with Itachi. His plans didn't end there. He would control her, and not by using anyone else as a pawn. She would be his, eventually, to do with as he pleased. All he had to do was exploit her blatant discomfort and push her toward another path. She was powerless against him.


	9. Stage 9

Stage 9: Unravel

Neji carefully unfurled the red scroll slowly. What he saw failed to startle him. Zetsu's photo graced the majority of the page, seemingly half man, half plant. This was not new information to him, as he had discovered the man's identity upon first seeing his chakra. No other Akatsuki member would have chakra that formed into what appeared like leaves. He was the only member Tsuki honestly knew next to nothing about. There wasn't much included in the scroll that he wasn't already aware of. He had been present for Tsuki's tale recapturing her view on events that had spanned the couple years prior to her becoming a resident in Konoha.

He knew it was a game of patience; his against the Akatsuki's. He prided himself a patient man; the evidence was in his willingness to take Tsuki under his wing and be responsible. Their relationships had started out with much hostility, and now look where they were. He would not be bested by a criminal in any way. He would watch Zetsu's every move, day and night, as he had been for the last week. It would be him who filled in the missing blanks in Zetsu's file.

Pushing aside his thoughts, he tentatively reached for the blue scroll. Tsuki had invested so much on this experiment: her reputation, her credibility, and ultimately, her life here in Konohagakure. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before. He broke the seal and slowly unravelled the document.

XxX

Tsuki wandered around the compound aimlessly prior to returning to Itachi's dwelling. She had considered every plausible explanation for Pein's change in demeanour in the last two years of her absence. She couldn't think of anything that seemed concrete enough to even consider as a theory. She was forced to accept that up until now, she knew next to nothing about the man he was or how he typically behaved. He had always treated her as a child, and back then, she had been. She was barely seventeen the first time he had set eyes on her. Could it be that he was just a man? Sasori's words came back to haunt her, _any man who doesn't want you beneath him isn't a man at all. _Could it be that Pein was no exception?

When she arrived back at Itachi's, she found the place empty. She searched every room for him, only to be disappointed. At first it had annoyed her that he wasn't there to help her forget Pein's actions, but that slowly turned to despair. She hadn't realized that she was counting on him to erase her thoughts away. By the time she had approached his study, she was forced to accept the loss. On his desk she found a note written by him telling her that he went into the city to restock on supplies. He would be back by dusk.

The familiar sense of being watched crept over her, making her skin crawl with gooseflesh. She could hear breathing, slow, calm, and rhythmic. He was careful not to move too suddenly, avoiding stirring the air to have his scent alarm her. "I guess you thought you could give me the slip, brat?" Hidan accused, announcing his presence.

She rolled her eyes before turning around to glare daggers into his chest. "How could I ever dream of outsmarting you, Hidan? You're always one step ahead of me."

Even he could hear her heavy sarcasm. "Watch the attitude, damn it; it stinks." He was leaning against the door frame casually, his arms folded over his bare chest. It seemed he had "forgotten" his cloak at home. There was a cocky smirk set into his features, and his eyes seemed to be laughing at her, even though no sound came from him.

She snorted at the comedy of the situation, and cut straight to the chase. "Is this your plan to seduce me Hidan?" she asked mockingly, still laughing. "You really suck at it."

He straightened up with a look of shock on his face. "Who told you about that?" he demanded. Clearly, he had thought he was doing a fine job at being alluring. Perhaps if it was anyone else but her, he would have.

She waved her hand in dismissal. "Does it matter who told me about it?" she asked. "Come on, Hidan; it can't be much different than courting my mother. We're not that different." She grinned arrogantly as her words struck their chord. A vein trembled in his forehead; she'd struck a nerve with him.

"How dare you?" he accused. To him, that was a low blow. He didn't like it when people hit below the belt.

"You're the one who killed her, Hidan," she sighed as though bored. "Do you miss fucking her?"

Now he had to wonder what kind of monster could talk about their mother's death in such a nonchalant manor to the person who took her life away. Tsuki was beginning to adopt some of his careless attitude, and he didn't like it. "I already told you, skank, nothing happened," he growled in defence.

She disregarded his denial. "Does it mean nothing to you, being my god father?" she asked in a bored tone, "Or does your messed up, cultist religion allow you to do what ever you want so long as it's morally sick and wrong?" She leaned back on Itachi's desk casually, her eyes heavily lidded in boredom.

He smirked arrogantly. "Not all religions require you to be a decent person, sweetheart." He leaned against the door frame again. "Are you really that surprised? I mean, fuck brat; I figured you were smarter than this. When have I ever been a god father to you? I'm the man who killed your family, not the man who came to your birthday parties."

He watched as her anger broke through that calm mask of hers. "You're a bastard, Hidan," she growled. So she wasn't as heartless as he was; not yet, at least.

He shrugged his shoulders as though he didn't give a damn. He didn't. "Yeah, I probably am," he sighed. He stared into her eyes with a smirk. "That's probably why you're drawn to me."

She immediately went on the defence. "I am not attracted to you in any way," she growled.

He chuckled heartlessly, they way a madman laughs before devouring his victim and approached her, stopping until he was merely three feet away. "Who said anything about attraction, bitch? I said you were drawn to me; there's a difference. Does someone have a guilty conscience?" He brushed her cheek softly with two fingers, stroking down the length of her face.

She swatted his hand away as though he were no more than an annoying fly. "You're delusional," she hissed.

He took a step forward, drawing closer to her. "I'm not delusional; you're in denial, and it stinks."

She sidestepped the desk and backed away from him as he enclosed the space between him, attempting to keep the distance. "Stay away from me, Hidan," she warned. She set her features into a scowl, but he wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Why should I?" he inquired. "Are you afraid you might prove me right?" He touched her exposed shoulder softly, feeling her cold skin from the rain outside. "You're doing a wonderful job at that already."

She stopped in her tracks and glared fiercely into his eyes. "I don't see how I'm proving you right," she rebuked. "You disgust me; I'm trying to make that clear."

He took the final step to close the space between them; she stood her ground. "There's fear in your eyes," he whispered. "You've never shown me fear like this before, and I'm not even threatening you." He brought both of his hands to her shoulders, restraining her from moving as he backed her to the wall. "I do not disgust you; if I did, you would have sworn vengeance on me for what I've done. Instead, you talk as though you have something to prove. Who are you trying to convince?" he asked, his lips an inch away from hers, "Me or yourself?"

She writhed under his hold, fury seething from her every pore. "You're a bastard," she reiterated.

He smiled playfully and lowered himself to whisper in her ear. "That I may be, but you haven't denied my claims." he brushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Admit it, I challenge you, and you can't stand it. You're a dominant person, same as me. You want to know whose will is stronger, yours or mine?" He brushed his lips against her earlobe softly, and could feel the goose pimples rising on her shoulders. "You've never had a man who could fight you for control, and who would. That's the one thing you crave."

She punched him in the sternum with as much force as she could muster at such a close range, which wasn't much. He chuckled breathily in her ear as he caught her hand before she could withdraw it. He locked his fingers through hers and forced her hand above her head, where he pinned it to the wall. He looked deep into her eyes when he spoke. "I am the only man who can accept your refusal to love, and even encourage it while giving you the passion and pleasures you want. I'll never ask for your heart, or your faithfulness. You will never belong to me," he whispered. His words enticed her, and he knew it. He watched as her anger softened by fractions of a degree behind her eyes.

He knew if he was going to act, he had to do it now, before she had time to defend herself against his gilded words. He brought his lips to hers and felt her immediately tense beneath him. Experience taught him to be gentle, and patient, even though it went against everything he desired. When he moved against her, it was soft at first, slowly crescendoing to a raw and animalistic hunger. The seeds of doubt were planted, and that was all he had set out to achieve, and he had.

He knew when he released her, he would deal with her anger, and what a beautiful pain that would be. He could feel it in the uneasiness of her reaction to his initial kiss, and knew she was complying all too well. She was a seductress by trade; she was only willing as far as to get his guard down. He smirked into his kiss, knowing as he backed away from her, hell was about to be unleashed.

XxX

Kakuzu looked up from his work with aggravation as his door slid open. He opened his mouth to angrily ask what it was the damn woman wanted, but before a sentence could form on his tongue, a heavy object was thrown across the room and landed on the floor with a deep thud. A smaller, softer something followed, a pale pink in colour and sounded rather moist when it made contact.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, thoroughly annoyed.

"You'll find the rest of him scattered in the streets," she explained. Without another word, she turned on her heels and left him to work out what she meant in peace. He watched her maroon hair disappear beyond the threshold of his lab.

Mentally figuring it wasn't something of threat to him, a bomb, for example, he sank back into his chair and resumed his work. Only when he had finished several hours later, and still cautious that it might be some trap to incapacitate him when he approached the objects, he carefully approached where her discarded parcel lay.

He first found the soft pink thing, which, according to his extensive medical knowledge, was a severed human tongue, and to whomever it had belonged to, they had probably drowned in their own blood by now, the poor fool. He began to look for the other object, which wasn't where he thought he had heard it land. Cursing aloud about his time being wasted, but still being cautious about what it might be, he searched on hand and knee, the tongue still in his clutches.

He found the object under his desk, hidden in the shadows. When he pulled it away into the light, he became very amused. The severed head of Hidan glared at him, unable to slur together the curses he wished to spew, as Kakuzu held in his hand Hidan's severed tongue. "She's an adept lady," he admitted, "Not many could cut out your tongue and not get bitten."

Hidan put every ounce of energy into scowling at his partner. It amused him that for once in his life, Hidan had been rendered speechless. "Don't worry yourself," Kakuzu mused. "I'll put you back together again." As he spoke, his stitches began to unravel to reattach Hidan to his disembodied tongue.

"You took your sweet time, you bastard," Hidan growled nearly as soon as he could freely move the muscle again. He spoke with a slur. "That damn skank didn't cut it out, damn it; she bit it off; now I talk funny. This freaking stinks."

Kakuzu stared at him in annoyance. "Your language stinks," he stated. "Perhaps if you wouldn't stick your tongue where it didn't belong, it wouldn't get bitten off." The thought of Hidan forcing his tongue down that poor woman's throat, and her biting it off amused him. He had no idea how this whole ordeal would shape up when he had learned about it, but was not disappointed by what he was seeing so far.

He set Hidan's head down on his desk and headed toward the door.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Hidan whined. "Don't just leave me here, damn it!"

Kakuzu stalled in the threshold. "I'm going to find the rest of you; you're useless to me without your body. I'm not your carrier. You'll wait for me until I return." He walked through the door, ignoring the insults of his decapitated partner.

XxX

Tsuki stared up at the ceiling as she lay upon Itachi's bed. He leaned back in his chair, throwing his pen down on the desk. When she looked over, his eyes were closed in frustration. She lifted herself from the bed and walked over to him. She removed his hair band and forehead protector and placed them on the desk, and began massaging his temples. "Maybe you should stop for the night," she suggested.

He reached up to wrap his arms around her as best as he could without interrupting her administrations. "That would mean I would have more to do tomorrow," he sighed.

She ran her fingers through his raven tresses, untangling them in her motions. "It would he half as stressful for you if you weren't the only one working on it," she informed him. "It's not like I'm hard pressed for time." She softly pressed her lips to his exposed forehead, allowing her own hair to cascade around them. "Come to bed," she begged. "You're spent for the night; your brain doesn't want to process anything more. We can wake up early tomorrow and tackle what's left before anyone notices you've slacked off."

He pulled her down to kiss him properly before stating, "It's because of you that I've been slacking off so much." He released her, looking her in the eyes. "I don't know why you'd want to bury yourself in this mess with me."

She continued to play with his hair gently. "Is there something wrong with me wanting to help you?" she asked. "I see how stressed you are at the end of the day. I'm the one who has to take care of your tension. Is it wrong for me to want there to be less stress on your shoulders when you join me in bed?"

He pulled her into his lap gently, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Do I have a say in the matter?" he asked.

She leaned against him, pulling his arms around her completely. "Not at all," she answered smugly.

He sighed, giving in to her wishes. "Alright, but that means we have to go to sleep early," he warned. He had awoken a monster within her by seducing her, and he'd never been more sated in his life. It was hard for him to find a woman remotely able to keep up with him. Now he was finding himself struggling to keep up with her. He wasn't complaining, not by a long shot. It was keeping her by his side, and away from anyone else's bed. He wasn't incompetent, either. She knew exactly how to awaken his need for her. A passionate kiss, an innuendoesque comment, a lingering caress; she knew his body and mind well. She wasn't the only one stirring passion, either. There were times in the day when he'd find himself watching her more than he was paying attention to his work, and decided it would be more productive to just get it out of the way than to sit there and fantasize about it.

He had taken her in nearly every room in the house; on the counters in the kitchen, the couches, the dining room table, the shower, his desk, against a wall in the hallway. There wasn't a space within his home that he hadn't made her shout out for him in pleasure.

Often he would draw out his stirrings of her need, arousing her to the best of his ability. Other times, he would just bend her over and take her without even bothering to remove her skirt. She never protested, or gave an excuse as to why she would be unable to satisfy him. Her body would comply to his wishes, reacting to him in ways he could never imagine.

He was brought back to reality by her nibbling his ear and neck, and a familiar tightness in the region of his groin. She had turned to face him in his lap, something he hadn't noticed; she was so lithe in her movements. He gathered her hair in both of his hands and kissed her passionately, exploring her mouth with his tongue. He loved the way her entire body moved into a kiss: the way her hips ground against him slowly, rhythmically; the way her arms wrapped around him tightly.

When he broke away from her, releasing her hair, she rose from his lap and took his hand. He followed her, allowing her to aide in undressing him, and returning the favour to her. When she was completely nude before him, and he was done drinking his fill of the sight of her, he pressed her down on the bed, where she took the length of him fully.

Despite having warned her that they were supposed to sleep earlier than normal tonight, that didn't happen. She lay nestled against his torso an hour later than they usually got to sleep, her eyelashes fluttering against his skin as she blinked. It would take a while for the endorphins to wear off and their heart rates to return to normal before they could even contemplate sleep.

He pulled her closer to him by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and kissed her nose. She readjusted to where her head was resting on his shoulders, her chest pressed against him pleasantly.

"Why does leader-sama have you buried behind so much paperwork?" she asked him suddenly. "Don't you have some tailed beast to capture?"

He blinked in surprise at her break of silence. "Leader-sama wants them captured in order," he informed her. "I was assigned the nine tails. There are seven more before I can capture the Kyuubi."

She sighed, knowing that meant that she would have to endure watching a comrade be taken and killed. She didn't know if anyone would be willing to sacrifice themselves for Naruto the way Lady Chiyo had been willing to do for Gaara.

"I know where your loyalties lie," he whispered softly. "They're the same as mine. You're going to do everything you can to protect Konohagakure. Naruto is in no danger of me. However, I fear he will be in danger of whoever inherits my assignment after I'm gone."

Her eyes narrowed in sorrow and pain. She knew he was destined to die by Sasuke's hand. She couldn't resent him for the task he felt destined to do. She disagreed with the importance of vengeance, and had told him so, but didn't allow her feelings to interfere with their brotherly feud. It was what Itachi wanted for Sasuke; who was she to stand in their way?

She sighed, clearing her mind of the sorrowful thoughts. "Naruto grows stronger every day," she stated. "I wouldn't be surprised if he turns the entire thing around and conquers whoever it is who is sent to capture him."

Itachi smoothed her hair, allowing her a moment of sadness before he took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. "He probably will," he stated. "Naruto gave Sasuke strength when he needed it the most. Who knows what power he has lying within him, as well as the kyuubi?" He looked down at her face, illuminated by moonlight through the parted clouds. He could still hear scattered raindrops on the roof, but it was slowing down. "Are you going to tell the Hokage about my coming for Naruto?" he asked, quizzical.

She shrugged. "Probably not," she answered. "They'd ask me all sorts of questions, and the paperwork would only increase. As it is, I'm looking at a month's worth of reports to write. They'll keep me locked within the gates until the whole tailed beasts' business blows over, and who knows how long that will take? If we get a new Hokage before then, I'd be done for. They'd throw me in containment or kill me for treason."

He caressed her face softly. "Then they don't know why you're here, I take?" he inquired.

She laughed softly, a small yawn breaking toward the end. "They think the Akatsuki's trying to get information out of me on Orochimaru's movements. Konoha got a hold of Kabuto after their encounter with Deidara and Sasori back when Gaara's Shukaku was extracted."

He nodded, "That would seem the most logical from their standpoint, given your affiliation with him in the past and lack of binding to him. You were there of free will, and we both know how easily free will can be broken."

She agreed with him before pressing on. "I told Lady Hokage everything I knew, but the elder council members all have selective hearing. To them, as I'm not a tailed beast, I have no business in the affair and couldn't possibly be associated with the entire mess. They don't even want to think about what you're planning to do with them."

"How naïve of them," Itachi concluded bitterly. Tsuki knew of his hatred for the elders. She was probably the only person outside their ranks he had told the entire story to. He told her one night, after making her promise to never tell Sasuke until many years after his death and only when Sasuke was happily settled in a new life, what ever that meant. That boy would never be happily settled doing anything but creating chaos.

"What does it matter?" she asked, rhetorically. "They'll figure it out eventually; and it might not be me who has to do it. Pein keeps telling me that I'm not irreplaceable. The council will figure it out when your ungodly weapon comes knocking at our front gate."

Itachi's eyes narrowed at seeing that potential future. "What do the councilmen think Leader-sama intends to do?" he asked.

She shrugged again. "That information is above my pay grade," she stated blandly.

He sighed. "You'd be astounded at the information they keep from the public just to ensure a false sense of safety," he informed her.

She looked into his vermilion eyes. "I'm just as aware as you are," she answered, softly touching the lines beneath his sorrow filled eyes. "They like us to think they are in control, when in fact, they aren't." She kissed him softly. "If they were, I wouldn't be here in your arms."


End file.
